Golden nightjar, first time ever in North Africa

From Moroccan Birds blog, with photos there (from the disputed Western Sahara area, close to the border with Mauritania):

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius) at Aousserd: 1st Western Palearctic record

Male Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius – Engoulevent doré) was observed and later found dead between Dakhla and Aousserd on 3.05.2015. This is the first Western Palearctic record.

We will hopefully receive more information about this great record which confirms once more that the Aousserd region is one of the best birding hotspots in the Western Palearctic.

The best from the region includes:

– A breeding population of Cricket Warbler (Spiloptila clamans) (inside the Western Palearctic also present in northern Mauritania).

– A breeding population of African Dunn’s Lark (Eremalauda dunni dunni).

– Sudan Golden Sparrow (Passer luteus) becomes more regular since a couple of years. Probably breeding locally in Aousserd.

– First and only record of White-throated Bee-eater (Merops albicollis) for the Western Palearctic obtained in this region.

What we want more!

See also here.

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