LAST WORD

THE LAST WORD

The Last Word in this Edition of the IASA Bulletin goes to Hatim Khan. Hatim shares his incredible photographs of the wildlife of Saudi Arabia on social media and kindly agreed that we could reproduce some of them.

The Magnificent Birds of Saudi Arabia

Surprisingly, many people are not aware of the fact that we have a magnificent diversity of bird species across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There are more than five hundred species, which is the highest number in the entire Middle East. From a bird’s perspective, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is close to Africa, Europe, and Asia so we are at the crossroads of much of the world which allows millions of birds to migrate every year passing through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Above: Blue Cheeked Bee Eater Below: Arabian Bee Eater All photographs (c) Hatim Khan

To increase awareness, knowledge, and interest amongst people of all ages as well as the future generations, I am currently preparing a comprehensive book / field guide titled as "Magnificent Birds of Saudi Arabia" covering all the bird species in this beautiful kingdom. practices of the birds, wildlife, and nature in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The book will cover in-depth information about birds such as their identification, habitat, diet, nest, social behaviour, breeding behaviour, vocal behaviour, and other data as well.

The field guide will be in the Arabic language as well as English which will allow the enthusiasts, birding community, wildlife photographers, local and international tourists, students, teachers, professors, researchers, and many more to understand, learn and actively participate in the conservation The question is, why do we need birds? Birds play an essential role in the functioning of the world's ecosystems, in a way that directly impacts human health, economy and food production - as well as millions of other species. Birds control pests, pollinate plants, spread seeds, transform entire

landscapes, and keep coral reefs alive. They keep the climate stable, oxygenate air and transform pollutants into nutrients. Birds play an important role in the effective functioning of these systems.

Hatim is an expat, born, raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He works in Digital Marketing and as a Photographer/ Videographer. His main focus is wildlife, particularly birds and and he is currently developing a bird guide of Saudi Arabia with the objective of promoting awareness and wildlife tourism. Some pages are reproduced below. He lives in Jeddah with his wife and two children. His son Abdullah, 16 years old, is also an avid Birder and Wildlife Photographer.

Below: Grey Headed Kingfisher with Grasshopper