Capture and tagging of flamingo in the Arabian Peninsula

The aim was to understand where the flamingos go to feed and where they come from. Valuable preliminary data collected from the birds has been of significant scientific and management importance for the species.

The capture and marking was carried out in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Abu Dhabi's Al Wathba Wetland Reserve by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), which also manages the Reserve. Of the five captured birds, two were tested for Avian Influenza, or Bird flu, and both tested negative. A rapid test was conducted on the spot and, to further confirm, followed by a more reliable test at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.

Since being marked, the five birds have demonstrated a lot of activity and movement. One bird moved to Dubai's Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, another remained at the Reserve, and the rest moved around Dabb'iya and Al Aryam coast.

According to the Environment Agency, the recorded movements reiterate how important wetlands such as Ras Al Khor and Al Wathba, as also the entire coastline, are to flamingos and several other avian species. The Agency also stressed how vital it was to protect these important habitats. EAD hopes that additional data, collected in the days to come, will prove extremely useful to learn more about flamingo movement within and outside the UAE. It may also provide information for understanding bird movement and migration in the context of Bird flu.

To deploy transmitters on the flamingos, the Agency used back pack harnesses, a method that has proven successful on many large birds in Spain and Africa. The plastic rings used were generously donated by the flamingo team of the Station Biologique Tour du Valat in France, as part of an international flamingo ringing scheme.

More About Flamingos and Al Wathba Wetland Reserve

Flamingos at Al Wathba Wetland Reserve usually gather in dense flocks of over 100 individuals on the man-made 'bird lake' or in the shallow inter-tidal lagoons, protected by mangrove bushes.

Al Wathba Wetland Reserve was declared a protected area in 1998, upon the orders of the late UAE president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This 5 km² area is home to more than 220 species of bird that depend on the wetland for resting, feeding or breeding. It also provides a safe refuge for many other species: reptiles, small mammals and insects. Al Wathba is a priority area for biodiversity conservation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.