MOROCCO – The endemics of the ‘Maghreb’, from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara and the Atlantic Coast

PRICE INFORMATION

Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

We also include all tipping for local guides, drivers and accommodation/restaurant staff.

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

MOROCCO BIRDING TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Morocco: Day 1  Our Morocco birding tour begins this morning at Marrakech, from where we will drive the short distance to the base of the Atlas Mountains and then wind our way upwards to the small ski resort of Oukaimeden for an overnight stay.

Here we will be birding in the spectacular High Atlas below the towering peak of Jebel Toubkal (4167m), the highest mountain in North Africa. Providing the weather is clear we will enjoy some truly magnificent scenery, with snow-capped summits looming over us and a fantastic panorama spread out below us to the north as we look for the attractive endemic African Crimson-winged Finch (nowadays treated as a species distinct from its Asian cousin). The lovely North African-endemic Moussier’s Redstart is a characteristic bird of the forested parts of the area and we will also be on the lookout for five other endemics; Barbary Partridge, Levaillan’s Green Woodpecker, Atlas (or Seebohm’s) Wheatear, the attractive African Blue Tit and African Chaffinch.

More widespread species include Horned Lark (the local form could conceivably be split in future as Atlas Horned Lark), Water Pipit, White-throated Dipper, Red-billed and Alpine Choughs, Great Spotted Woodpecker (here of the endemic Moroccan form mauritanus), Black Redstart, Coal Tit, Northern Raven, Rock Sparrow and Rock Bunting. If we are very lucky we will see a Lammergeier, which is now both rare and highly localized in Morocco.

Morocco: Day 2  After some more birding in the High Atlas we will descend from the mountains and then drive northeastwards to Ifrane for a two nights stay, stopping for a little birding en route.

After crossing the broad, rolling, cultivated plains that are the breadbasket of Morocco we will climb up into the Middle Atlas, stopping to explore the wooded foothills. On the way, we should see the distinctive endemic Maghreb Magpie as well as Western Cattle Egret, White Stork, Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Common and Lesser Kestrels, Eurasian Collared and European Turtle Doves, Common Swift, Calandra and Crested Larks, Barn Swallow, Spotless Starling, European Goldfinch and Corn Bunting.

Morocco: Day 3  Ifrane is the French colonial equivalent of a hill station in the India of the British Raj, a summer sanctuary from the heat of the plains and latterly a ski resort. At this season there are few visitors, so this morning we will be able to enjoy the Middle Atlas at its best. The habitat here is a mixture of coniferous and mixed forests and barren, rocky uplands studded with small lakes. The breeding-endemic Atlas Flycatcher will be our main target during our forays into the spectacular forests, but this is also a good area for the endemic Maghreb Owl as well as Barbary Partridge and Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker.

Other interesting species we may well see include Red-knobbed Coot, Ferruginous Duck, European Scops Owl, Wood Lark, Tawny Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Cetti’s, Melodious, Western Subalpine and Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Firecrest, Hawfinch and Cirl Bunting.

Additional widespread species include Little and Great Crested Grebes, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Moorhen, Common Sandpiper, Common Woodpigeon, Common Cuckoo, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Skylark, Common House Martin, Winter Wren, European Robin, Common Redstart, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, Zitting Cisticola, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Eurasian Jay, European Greenfinch, European Serin and Common Linnet.

If we are very fortunate we will come across a troop of Barbary Apes amidst the magnificent cedar forests.

Morocco: Day 4  Today we will drive southwards to Midelt for an overnight stay, descending into increasingly arid country as we leave the mountains and pausing en route to look for such species as Ruddy Shelduck, Long-legged Buzzard (the Atlas form, cirtensis, is very different from the nominate form of SW Asia and may well represent a distinct endemic species), Thekla Lark and Western Black-eared Wheatear.

The barren, semi-desert plains of the high plateau country around Midelt are the home of the elusive Dupont’s Lark, a bird that much prefers to scurry away through the low clumps of vegetation rather than fly when one approaches. Getting a good view of this little-known bird can be hard work but is well worth the effort. A number of other interesting species occur in this inhospitable habitat including Mediterranean Short-toed Lark, Desert Wheatear and possibly Cream-coloured Coursers flying overhead.

Morocco: Day 5  From Midelt we travel on southwards through increasingly stark but beautiful mountain scenery until we reach the fringe of the Sahara. After crossing the stony hamada plains we eventually drop rather unexpectedly into the verdant Ziz valley and then continue to our guesthouse deep in the desert south of Erfoud, for a three nights stay.

During the journey, we will stop to look for the North African-endemic Tristram’s Warbler which at this time of year has ascended the slopes of the Atlas Mountains to breed. We will also see our first true desert birds, such as Desert Lark, Maghreb Lark of the form saharae (a future candidate for a split) and White-crowned Wheatear. We also have a good chance for Saharan Scrub Warbler, which is now split by some from Streaked Scrub Warbler.

We will doubtless also want to stop to admire the remarkable displays of huge ammonites and other fossils and massive crystalline growths that are on sale at the roadside stalls, marvelling at the way the local inhabitants can ferret out such bounty from such rugged terrain.

Morocco: Days 6-7  The region south of Erfoud offers some exciting birding in an attractive setting. The palm groves and gardens of Erfoud and Rissani give way gradually to the stony plains, sandy wadi beds and spectacular sand dunes of the Sahara. It is important to have plenty of time here in order to maximise the chance of seeing the area’s many specialities, so we allow three nights in this superb area rather than two.

North African endemics we can expect here are the recently-recognized Maghreb Lark, African Desert Warbler, Fulvous Babbler, the rare Desert Sparrow (endemic to North Africa, now that Zarudny’s Sparrow in the deserts of Central Asia is considered a separate species) and House Bunting (a species confined to North Africa).

We also have an excellent chance of finding a roosting Pharaoh Eagle Owl and at night, with persistence, we have a good chance of finding the cryptically-plumaged Egyptian Nightjar, which breeds in this area most years.

Other good birds we should encounter here include the gorgeous Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Bar-tailed and Greater Hoopoe-Larks, Common Bulbul, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (of the form reiseri, that may be split as Saharan Olivaceous Warbler, yet another endemic), Western Olivaceous and Spectacled Warblers, Great Grey Shrike, Brown-necked Raven and we will visit a drinking pool which attracts Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse from all over the desert.

Houbara Bustard (now restricted to North Africa and the Canary Islands, following taxonomic reassessment) also still survives in this area, but heavy mortality caused by the depredations of wealthy Arab falconers from the Gulf region caused the population to decline to alarmingly low levels. A reintroduction programme has raised numbers to a degree, but we will still need luck to encounter this much-persecuted species.

Frequently the clumps of tamarisks amongst the huge sand dunes of Erg Chebbi in the Merzouga area harbour migrants that have just made the long desert crossing from the south, including such species as Woodchat Shrike.

Morocco: Day 8  After some final birding in the Erfoud area we will cross the desert to Boumalne for a two nights stay.

We will break the journey at the dramatic, pink-walled Gorges du Todra which is almost 1000m deep. Here we will be looking out for Bonelli’s Eagle in particular, as well as Alpine Swift, Eurasian Crag Martin, Grey Wagtail and Blue Rock Thrush.

Morocco: Day 9  The desert near Boumalne harbours several specialities, including Cream-coloured Courser, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Temminck’s Lark, Thick-billed Lark (a species virtually endemic to North Africa), the showy Red-rumped Wheatear, the amusing Trumpeter Finch and the interesting Maghreb Wheatear, which exhibits marked sexual dimorphism and which has a rather localized distribution in Morocco.

To the north, the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas contrast with the rich colours of the desert plain and the foothills, providing a splendid scenic backcloth to our birding. The nearby gardens are full of the glorious sounds of Common Nightingales in full song whilst, at dusk, we shall listen for the mournful call of the European Scops Owl and then try to sneak up on one of these splendid little creatures.

Morocco: Day 10  Today we will drive to Agadir for a two nights stay. The deep blue sky, the black, grey and ochre mountains, the green palm groves and the rich pinkish-red walls of the fortress-like villages make for magnificent scenery. We will stop along the way if we need to for Maghreb Wheatear, and also for Pharaoh Eagle Owl.

As we leave the Sahara and follow the winding road down into the Sous valley the desert gives way to argana woodland, quite reminiscent of the acacia savanna so characteristic of many other parts of Africa, and extensive areas of olive groves and citrus. We will pass by the ancient walled city of Taroudannt before we reach Agadir.

Birds we may well encounter in the Sous Valley include Black-winged Kite, Eurasian Stone-curlew, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Pallid and Little Swifts, Red-rumped Swallow, Common Nightingale, Sardinian and Western Orphean Warblers, Woodchat Shrike and Spanish Sparrow. We may also come across the brookei form of the Peregrine Falcon.

Morocco: Day 11  Today we will concentrate on two bird-rich estuaries to the south of Agadir. First, we will visit the pocket-sized estuary of the Oued Massa, probably the richest birding locality of its size in Morocco. The whole area is thronged with birds, especially herons, egrets, waders, gulls and terns. We shall concentrate on the upper, marshy parts of the estuary where among the more interesting species we may find are Little Bittern, Squacco and Purple Herons, Marbled Duck, Western Marsh and Montagu’s Harriers, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt and the localized Brown-throated Martin. Other species likely at the mouth of the Massa include Grey Heron, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Lesser Black-backed and Yellow-legged Gulls, Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, sand Martin (or Bank Swallow), Common Stonechat, European Reed Warbler and Black-crowned Tchagra, whose beautiful song often gives its presence away).

Later we will visit the Sous estuary, close to Agadir. Here we are likely to find large numbers of waders, gulls, terns and other waterbirds including Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet, Common Ringed, Kentish and Grey Plovers, Red Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Ruff, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Wood Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-headed, Yellow-legged and Audouin’s Gulls, Gull-billed, Sandwich, Common, Little and Black Terns, and the restricted-range Moroccan Wagtail. We may also come across one or two of the scarcer visitors to the area such as Mediterranean or Slender-billed Gulls, Lesser Crested, Whiskered or White-winged Terns. We have an excellent chance here for Red-necked Nightjar.

Morocco:  Day 12  This morning we will travel northwards along the Atlantic coast in search of the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, which still breeds in the Agadir region. We have an excellent chance of finding this strange bird at one of its coastal breeding sites. We will also stop at Cap Rhir for some seawatching: there is a good chance of encountering Cory’s Shearwater and Northern Gannet or some Lesser Crested Terns roosting on the beaches.

As we continue northwards, following the convolutions of the coastal highway and passing one wave-lashed headland after another, we shall enjoy the dramatic scenery of this meeting place between the High Atlas and the Atlantic Ocean.

Eventually, we will arrive at a section of coastline opposite Mogador Island, close to the town of Essaouira. Here we should find some attractive Eleonora’s Falcons flighting in to feed over the mainland opposite their breeding island.

Later we will continue across dry, rolling plains to Marrakech, where our Morocco birding tour ends early this evening.