Whilst in Tanoumah in June I managed to see and photograph an Arabian Spotted Eagle-owl. I went back to the same area in July and at another location about two kilometres away I saw another bird perched on a wall of a partly built building. On getting out of the car the bird could be herd calling and when seen properly turned out to be two young Spotted Eagle Owls.
I managed to take a few photos of the bird and after some time they left the tree they were in a flew onto a nearby rock face. We left after a short while as we did not want to disturb the birds. The birds seen are the endemic sub-species to southwestern Arabiamilesi, which are significantly isolated in southwest Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman.
It is more tawny in colour and smaller than nominate andtanaeboth from Africa, and its vocalizations differ (though fuller details required) and is possibly specifically distinct.
Jem Babbington
Jem Babbington is a keen birder and amateur photographer located in Dhahran, Eastern Saudi Arabia where he goes birding every day. Jem was born in England and is a serious local patch and local area birder who has been birding for almost forty years and has birded in more than fifty countries. Jem is learning to ring birds in Bahrain as a perfect way to learn more about the birds of the area. Saudi Arabia is a very much under-watched and under-recorded country.
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