First documented record of White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga in Syria and records there of Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti annae and Basalt Wheatear Oenanthe lugens warriae, all 2009

摘要

During a birdwatching trip to Syria in 2009 we explored the black basalt desert east of Jebel Druze in southernmost Syria for a day. While driving through the basalt desert 27 February (Plate 1), DS spotted a 'black and white' wheatear sitting by the road on top of a stone (32° 54' 09.1" N, 37° 19' 05.2" E, As Zalaf, Rif Dimashq, Syria). As the bird was white capped we immediately identified it as White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga. The bird was seen for a few minutes before it disappeared, though we found the bird again at the same place two hours and several heavy rainfalls later. All authors observed it and we managed to get several pictures both before and after the rain (Plates 2, 3, both post rain). During the observation we noted: a rather large and narrow-billed black wheatear with white crown and white undertail coverts. White on the belly was restricted to between undertail coverts and legs, tail strikingly white except for black central rectrices. A few rectrices were completely white, whereas others had small inconspicuous black spots at the tips. Clearly an adult White-crowned Wheatear. The bird was actively foraging and moved around for several hundred metres during our observations. It mostly sat on the top of small stones and clay hillocks.