SmartBirds
© Ivaylo Angelov/BSPB
From February 17 to 24, the expert on birds of prey from the BSPB – Ivaylo Angelov was commissioned to research Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) on the island of Masirah, Oman, as part of a project led by the Environment Society of Oman (ESO). The work builds on previous research commissioned by ESO in 2012 with the involvement of Ivaylo and International Avian Research, which provided a baseline for the study. A high density of Egyptian Vultures (52 territories occupied by pairs) was recorded in 2012, showing a large increase in the island’s population.
© Ivaylo Angelov/BSPB
The current survey, which lasted 9 days, aimed to understand population numbers after a 12-year gap. The team visited all of the territories identified in 2012 and observed the various changes that took place on the island in the past decade. The most noticeable ones are i) the partial closer of the rubbish dump after 2015, and ii) interspecific competition from species such as White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) and Brown-necked Ravens (Corvus ruficollis). Both of these changes could influence territory occupation, population number, and food availability, and could play a role in decreasing the suitability of the area to support very high vulture densities.
© Ivaylo Angelov/BSPB
The team is further working on analyzing the data and validating these observations. They will be looking at increasing the percentage of dispersing young adults and comparing Egyptian Vulture densities to the 2012 baseline. The Environment Society of Oman will continue its research on the distribution, numbers, and health of Egyptian Vultures on Masirah Island and will continue to raise awareness about the species to various audiences in Oman. A Raptors of Oman booklet and poster, and Resident Vultures of Oman infographic can be freely downloaded from the ESO’s Website Resources Page.
© Ivaylo Angelov/BSPB
