Rare birds return to Kuwait as Green Goose, Red-billed Redbird spotted after years

The Kuwait Environmental Protection Society has announced that five new bird species have been added to Kuwait’s official bird list, bringing the total number of species in the country to 424.

The update comes after the Bird Monitoring and Protection Team completed its final field tour of 2025 in the Al-Abraq region in northwestern Kuwait, reports Al-Jarida daily. daily.

During the tour, the team recorded 24 bird species, most of which are winter visitors, including the European robin and the song thrush. Other wildlife, such as the barn owl and sand cat, were also observed in their natural habitats.

Team leader Mohammed Shah highlighted that 2025 saw the return of several species that had not been seen for years. Most notably, the Green Goose, spotted last November by team members Muhammad Al-Hadina and Talal Al-Muwaizri, was observed for the sixth time in Kuwait’s history and the first time since 2016 — a 10-year hiatus.

The Red-billed Redbird, another rare species, was also documented in multiple locations including Al-Abraq, Al-Mutla’a, and Al-Julaia’a at the end of last year. This species has been recorded only 16 times in Kuwait since 1970, with a gap of five years prior to its recent sightings.

The data collected during these monitoring operations has been submitted to the global eBird program as part of preparations for the 2025 annual bird monitoring report in Kuwait.

The findings underscore the country’s growing biodiversity and the importance of ongoing conservation and monitoring efforts.