ABHA: Of 499 bird species recorded in ֱ, only one is considered endemic to the Kingdom, which means it is found nowhere else in the world.
This is according to Aramco’s 2021 book “The Birds of ֱ,” which noted that the bird known as the Asir magpie (scientific name Pica asirensis) can be found “only in a few small patches” in the mountains of Asir region in the Kingdom’s southwest.
Known for its high intelligence and ability to recognize itself in a mirror, the bird is called a magpie because of its melodious sounds. It is easily recognizable by its black and white feathers and the large, dome-shaped nest it builds, typically in juniper or acacia trees.
With only about about 100 breeding pairs of Asir magpies remaining, the Asir magpie is one of the “rarest birds on the planet.” (SPA photos)
The Asir magpie is classified as “endangered” on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN.
A report by the Saudi Press Agency on Friday said that recent estimates suggest that only about 100 breeding pairs of Asir magpies remain, or around 200 adults, making it one of the “rarest birds on the planet.”
“The primary threat to the Asir magpie’s survival is climate change, which has limited its natural range because of rising temperatures and arid weather conditions over the past decades,” SPA said.
The Aramco book said there are 18 other species that are largely or entirely confined to the Arabian Peninsula, including the Arabian sunbird, the Arabian babbler, the Arabian scops owl, the rare Arabian grosbeak, and the Arabian woodpecker.
