Author: abdulnasser eisa

As part of the South Africa’s Shorebird Tracking Project, which tracks migratory shorebirds to better understand their migration routes and stopover sites, a number of Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris ferruginea) were fitted with tracking devices along the west coast of South Africa, near Velddrif and Langebaan Lagoon. The project aims to investigate the migration routes and key stopover sites used by these birds during their long-distance journeys between Africa and their Asian breeding grounds.

Libya had previously appeared in the tracking data during the spring migration of another individual from the same project, named SPERRGEBIET, which crossed southeastern Libya in May 2026 while continuing towards Egypt. Now, tracking data have revealed another Curlew Sandpiper, BARBER, returning to Africa via eastern Libya during its southbound autumn migration from its Asian breeding grounds.

BARBER’s migration journey

17 April 2026: BARBER was among the last individuals to leave Velddrif, South Africa, beginning its north-easterly journey towards Barberspan Nature Reserve, a wetland after which the bird was named.

April–May 2026: BARBER followed a relatively more central route compared with several other birds being tracked as part of the project, continuing northward across the African continent.

14 June 2026: The bird reached the Nile Delta after covering a considerable distance across Africa.

16 June 2026: BARBER continued northward and reached Asia, where it proceeded towards its breeding grounds. Project information indicates that BARBER followed a somewhat different route from several of the other tracked individuals.

Several months later: BARBER remained in its breeding areas before beginning its southbound return journey towards Africa.

12 September 2026: BARBER returned to the African continent via eastern Libya, marking one of the notable stages of its return migration.

After entering eastern Libya: The bird travelled south-eastwards through Sudan, before changing direction towards the south-west and crossing into the Central African Republic.

15 September 2026: The latest tracking data indicate that BARBER is currently north-west of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, continuing its journey across the African continent.

BARBER’s return through eastern Libya adds another important record to the tracking data demonstrating the role of Libyan landscapes in the movements of migratory shorebirds.

Notably, BARBER’s return route differs from that of SPERRGEBIET, despite both individuals belonging to the same species, Calidris ferruginea, and being tracked as part of the same international project. SPERRGEBIET crossed southeastern Libya in May during spring migration, heading towards Egypt, whereas BARBER crossed eastern Libya in September during autumn migration before travelling south-east through Sudan and then south-west into the Central African Republic.

We share with you a selection of the waterbirds and migratory birds observed and documented during the field activities of the Furwah Environmental Camp 2026 on Furwah Island.

These photographs highlight the avian diversity of the island, where its shores and wetland habitats provide important areas for a variety of bird species to feed and rest during their migratory journeys.

Bird monitoring and documentation were conducted as part of the camp’s field activities, with the aim of strengthening participants’ skills in bird identification, observation, monitoring, and field documentation within their natural habitats.

📍 Furwah Island
📸 Photography: Abdulnasser Eisa — Member of the Libyan Society for Birds (LSB)

BirdLife International has launched its new global report, State of the World’s Birds 2026, with this sixth edition focusing entirely on migratory birds and the flyways they depend on. The report examines the current status of migratory birds, the major threats they face, and the actions needed to protect the species and habitats on which they depend across continents.

The report comes at a time when pressures on migratory birds are increasing. Its findings indicate that:

🔴 45% of migratory bird species are experiencing population declines.

🔴 One in nine migratory bird species is threatened with extinction.

🔴 Seven migratory bird species have been confirmed or suspected to have gone extinct during the past 150 years. Among them is the Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris), which was officially declared extinct in 2025. Its last confirmed record was from a Moroccan lagoon in February 1995.

The report also reveals that shorebirds and seabirds are among the most threatened groups of migratory birds, while species dependent on marine habitats, forests, and coastal wetlands are experiencing particularly severe declines. BirdLife data indicate that 54% of migratory shorebird species are in decline, while 49% of migratory seabird species are experiencing population declines.

These declines are associated with a range of human-driven pressures, including habitat loss and degradation, agricultural expansion and intensification, hunting and unsustainable trapping, bycatch, invasive alien species, climate change, pollution, urban development, human disturbance, and poorly planned infrastructure.

The report emphasizes that a flyway is not simply a line on a map, but rather a broad, interconnected network of critical sites and habitats that migratory birds depend on throughout their annual cycle—from breeding grounds to migration stopover and refuelling sites, and ultimately to non-breeding areas. When one important link in this network is lost or degraded, the entire migratory system can be affected.

The report identifies four major terrestrial flyway systems: the Americas Flyway System, African-Eurasian Flyway System, Central Asian Flyway, and East Asian-Australasian Flyway, in addition to marine flyways connecting the world’s oceans and continents.

Consequently, the conservation of migratory birds cannot be achieved by protecting a single country or site in isolation. It requires international cooperation to protect, restore, and reconnect entire flyways, from breeding grounds through stopover sites to non-breeding areas.

Importantly, the report does not only document the scale of the crisis; it also presents numerous examples demonstrating that conservation can deliver measurable results when supported by effective management, adequate financing, scientific knowledge, and cooperation among governments, conservation organizations, and local communities.

Examples include successful habitat conservation initiatives, improved wetland management, support for local communities, and the development of modern monitoring programmes using satellite technology, tracking methods, and citizen science.

The report also highlights the importance of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and other important sites for birds, emphasizing the need to integrate these areas into national planning, protect and restore them, and maintain ecological connectivity across entire migratory flyways.

Perhaps the most important message of the report is that migratory birds are powerful indicators of ecosystem health. Their population declines do not represent the loss of birds alone; they can also signal the degradation of wetlands, forests, coastlines, marine ecosystems, and other natural systems upon which people also depend.

To read the full report and explore its findings, data, and recommendations in detail: https://datazone.birdlife.org/publications/state-of-the-worlds-birds-2026?fbclid=IwT01FWAUWVjtwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHv9TyZIZLShDGo8Vf_WhjAQ5VhseJ-qo0zsNhLM2ZjdZaaYepWjv1fpsvuHg_aem_ICPf2taowRk_8-R90zhUFQ

A new scientific study entitled “The Impact of Urbanization on Bird Diversity and Abundance in Some Areas of Tripoli, Libya” has recently been published in the Libyan Journal of Ecological & Environmental Sciences and Technology (LJEEST) in August 2026.

The study aimed to assess the effects of different levels of urbanization on bird diversity and abundance in several urban areas of Tripoli. Birds were surveyed from January to December 2021 in four study sites: the University of Tripoli, Al-Sab’a, Al-Dhahra, and Al-Manshiya. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to determine the proportions of built-up areas and green spaces within the study sites.

A total of 47 bird species, comprising 1,477 individuals, were recorded during the study period. The University of Tripoli recorded the highest species richness, with 43 species, followed by Al-Sab’a with 33 species, Al-Dhahra with 32 species, and Al-Manshiya with the lowest number, at 30 species.

The results also revealed substantial differences in the degree of urbanization among the study sites. Built-up areas accounted for 68.54% of the University of Tripoli site, 75.17% in Al-Sab’a, and 86.37% in Al-Dhahra, while reaching 98.75% in Al-Manshiya, the highest proportion recorded among the four sites.

The findings indicated a negative relationship between the proportion of built-up areas and bird species richness. However, the study found no statistically significant effect of the proportion of built-up areas on bird abundance.

The study also highlighted the importance of seasonal variation. Species diversity reached its highest level during spring and its lowest during winter. Bird abundance was likewise highest in spring, reaching 1,157 individuals, while the lowest abundance was recorded in autumn, with 683 individuals.

These findings highlight the importance of conserving green spaces within cities, which represent essential components of urban habitats used by birds. The study also provides valuable field data for understanding how bird communities respond to urban expansion in Tripoli.

The full study is available in the “Scientific Publications” section.

The first documented record of the Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) in Libya has been published, based on observations from the Al-Jaghbub Oasis in eastern Libya.

The record is documented in a recently published scientific study entitled:

“First Record of Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis Linnaeus, 1766) in Libya”

The study was published in the Libyan Journal of Ecological & Environmental Sciences and Technology (LJEEST), Volume 8, Issue 2, August 2026.

The study documents the observation of an adult male on 9 May 2026 in Al-Jaghbub Oasis. The bird was observed perched on electrical wires, near old buildings, and in open areas, with observations continuing for three consecutive days.

The study also indicates that the species had been observed at the same location in September 2024 and 2025. However, those earlier observations were not supported by photographic evidence. Photographic documentation obtained in 2026 subsequently provided confirmation of the species’ presence in Libya.

The Libyan Birds Society extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Ahmida Bellah for sharing the information and photographs, which contributed to documenting this record and its subsequent publication in the scientific literature.

The full study is available in the “Scientific Publications” section.

A new global study published in July 2026 in Nature Reviews Biodiversity reveals that migratory birds are facing an escalating conservation crisis. The study found that 51% of the world’s migratory bird species are experiencing population declines, warning that ongoing threats could drive many more species toward extinction unless stronger conservation measures are implemented.

According to the study, the world is home to approximately 3,382 migratory bird species, representing nearly 31% of all bird species globally. The authors also identified taxonomic discrepancies involving around 1,966 species across major global databases, highlighting the need for improved monitoring programs and greater harmonization of migratory bird datasets.

The assessment showed that:

• 51% of migratory bird species are declining.
• 31% have stable populations.
• 10% are increasing.
• 8% lack sufficient data to determine population trends.

The study further reported that 189 bird species have become extinct—or are presumed extinct—since the year 1500, including an estimated 8–16 migratory species. The most recent example is the Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris), which was officially declared extinct in 2025.

Regarding extinction risk, the authors found that 9% of migratory bird species are globally threatened with extinction, including 43 species classified as Critically Endangered.

Population declines also vary among habitats. Approximately 70% of forest-associated migratory birds are declining, while declines affect 44–56% of species migrating along terrestrial flyways and 51–65% of those using marine flyways, underscoring the severe pressures facing seabirds.

The study identifies the principal threats to migratory birds as habitat loss and degradation, climate change, unsustainable hunting and trade, collisions with buildings, power lines and other infrastructure, pollution and agricultural pesticides, invasive alien species, and diseases such as avian influenza.

The authors also note that free-ranging domestic cats and collisions with buildings each kill more than one billion birds annually in the United States and Canada. In addition, threats such as bycatch in commercial fisheries, invasive species, and climate change affect an estimated 200 million seabirds worldwide.

To reverse these trends, the researchers recommend expanding long-term monitoring programs, increasing the use of tracking technologies and artificial intelligence, protecting breeding, stopover, and wintering sites, reducing illegal hunting, mitigating infrastructure-related mortality, controlling invasive species, strengthening international cooperation, and securing sustainable funding to support the implementation of global agreements for the conservation of migratory species.

A new scientific paper entitled “Breeding record of the Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (Scopoli, 1769) in Libya” has been published in the Open Veterinary Journal (Volume 16, Issue 7, 2026), documenting the first confirmed breeding record of the Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) in Libya.

This study represents a significant contribution to the country’s ornithological knowledge, providing the first scientific evidence that the species breeds in Libya. Until now, the Squacco Heron had been regarded primarily as a passage migrant within the country.

The researchers documented a successful breeding attempt in July 2022 at the wastewater treatment ponds of Wadi Saso, Misrata, in northwestern Libya. A breeding pair was observed incubating a clutch of four eggs in a nest constructed on a tree within the treatment facility.

The findings highlight the important ecological role that artificial wetlands can play in supporting breeding populations of waterbirds, particularly in arid environments where natural wetlands are limited. The study emphasizes the need to conserve and manage these habitats as valuable refuges for biodiversity.

This publication adds an important reference to the growing body of ornithological research in Libya and demonstrates the value of long-term field monitoring and scientific documentation in improving our understanding of bird distribution, breeding ecology, and conservation across the country.

The full paper is available in the “Scientific Publications” section.

A recent scientific study entitled “Diversity and Behavior of Gulls (Aves: Laridae) Along the Coast Between Tajoura Port and Tripoli Port, Libya” was published in the Biodiversity Journal on 30 June 2026.

The study was conducted from February 2021 to January 2022 along the coastal stretch between Tajoura Port and Tripoli Port in northwestern Libya. Its primary objective was to investigate the diversity, abundance, and behavioral patterns of gulls, while also assessing the influence of several environmental factors on their distribution and population dynamics.

The survey recorded 2,775 individual gulls representing nine species of the family Laridae, providing up-to-date scientific data on gull assemblages along this section of the Libyan coastline.

The findings highlight the ecological importance of Libya’s coastal habitats for seabirds and contribute valuable baseline information for future biodiversity monitoring, ecological research, and conservation planning along the Libyan coast.

The full paper is available in the “Scientific Publications” section.