KUWAIT: Kuwaiti researcher at the Environment Public Authority (EPA), Omar Al-Shaheen, has observed a four-year-old female Greater Flamingo at the Jahra Nature Reserve, highlighting the area’s role as a key stopover for migratory birds. Al-Shaheen told KUNA on Thursday that during routine monitoring, he noticed leg bands on the bird and contacted the organization responsible for flamingo and bird banding in France and the Mediterranean.
The bands were confirmed to originate from Camargue in southern France, where the flamingo was banded in August 2021. He noted that the species is regularly sighted across Kuwait’s mudflats, including Kuwait Bay, Shuwaikh coast, Sulaibikhat Beach, and the Jahra Nature Reserve. “Spotting it in the reserve underscores the importance of Kuwait’s location as a major transit route for many European migratory birds,” Al-Shaheen said.
Describing the flamingo, he said it is pink, about 130 cm in length, with a wingspan of approximately 155 cm. Its diet consists mainly of small algae and microscopic organisms, which give its feathers their characteristic pink hue due to carotenoids. Al-Shaheen added that Greater Flamingos are highly social birds, often gathering in flocks of thousands, which provides protection against predators and enhances foraging efficiency. — KUNA
