Crex crex (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 26-30 cm. A slender ground-dwelling bird that is brown with dark streaks on the back and chestnut upper wing coverts that are most noticeable in flight; the long legs and toes dangle in flight. The Corncrake is found in the dry fields in Egypt. It eats insects, worms, small frogs, small mammals, the green parts of plants, and seeds. It is most active at dawn and dusk, and is very secretive and rarely seen.  Numbers of this bird are declining due to habitat loss and changing of agricultural practices in Europe and Asia, and it is now considered to be vulnerable. It is found along the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt.

Oenanthe oenanthe (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 14-16 cm. The distinguishing characteristic of all wheatears is the white rump and the broad black band at the end of the tail, which is flicked regularly when the bird is on the ground. This species has a blue-grey crown, nape, and back; black cheek and white supercilium and black wings; the breast of the male is pale rufous-buff. The female is sandy grey. The habitat of the Common Wheatear is generally the open semi-desert, where it feeds on small invertebrates such as insects and spiders. It locates its prey visually, chiefly on the ground or in low vegetation. It is found solitarily or in small groups, but never in flocks. This wheatear is a common migrant in the Eastern and Western Deserts, the Nile Valley, and Sinai.

Anas crecca Linnaeus, 1758.

Length 38 cm. The male duck has a cinnamon head and a wide green crescent with white border over each eye, extending nearly to the nape. The back and sides are marked with tiny black stripes; the wings and tail are brownish; it has a yellow patch at the base of the tail coverts. Female is brown, except for whitish chin and belly. The common Teal spends the winter mainly in reservoirs, pools, estuaries, and marshes. Its diet consists of aquatic plants, leaves, roots, and seeds; also aquatic invertebrates. It is a common winter migrant and is found in the Nile Valley and Delta, as well as some Western Desert oases.

Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 18 cm. This is a small gamebird with a characteristic high-pitched call. The male is striped brown and white with a little black and blackish throat markings. Female and immature birds are generally duller in color. The Common Quail favors dense herbage that is less than one meter tall and avoids the bare ground. It feeds on seeds, grass, herbs, and grain but also takes invertebrates from the ground including worms, spiders, and beetles. It is reported to be both monogamous and promiscuous. The nest is a scrape in the grass in grassy cover constructed by the female; the 5-7 eggs are incubated for 18-20 days by the female only. This bird migrates to Egypt during spring and is commonly found along the Mediterranean Coast. It is also a rare breeder and is distributed on the Mediterranean Coast, North Sinai, and the Nile Valley and Delta.

Aythya ferina (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 46 cm. A diving duck; the male has a distinctive chestnut head and neck; black breast, tail coverts, and rump, grey wings, orange-yellow to red iris, and grey legs. Female and juvenile are generally brown. The Common Pochard spends the winter on large open lakes, slow-flowing rivers, and coastal lagoons. It feeds on seeds, vegetation, roots of aquatic plants, and grasses, in addition to the small invertebrates such as worms and crustaceans, as well as the small frogs and small fish that it catches by diving. It is a common passage migrant and winter visitor to the Nile Valley and Delta.

Alcedo atthis (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 17 cm. A small but brilliantly colored bird with blue-green head and back; underparts are pale to deep chestnut; throat is white with a white flash on the neck; cheeks are chestnut. In males, the long stout bill is all black while in the female its base is orange; the tail is short and the tiny feet are red. The Kingfisher lives along small rivers, streams, canals, and lakes; in winter, it lives also among mangroves and on rocky seashores. Its main diet is fish and aquatic insects, as well as butterflies and amphibians. It dives steeply, either from a perch or while hovering, and may dive into the water to a depth of one meter to catch its prey. It is solitary and highly territorial, as it must eat up to 60% of its own body weight per day. A common migrant and winter visitor to the Nile Valley and Delta and suitable places along the Mediterranean and Red Sea Coasts.

Grus grus (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 115 cm. This tall bird has a grey body with a black head and throat and a prominent white stripe down the side of the neck; the adult has a red patch on top of the head. A large tuft of plumes hides the tail. The Common Crane is found in large open fields, areas of marshes, and areas close to large wetlands. It is omnivorous and feeds primarily on leaves and seeds of emergent wetland plants. However, in summer it eats more animal food including invertebrates, such as worms, snails, and insects together with frogs, snakes, and fishes. It forages on land and in water by probing and pecking. It has a distinctive trumpeting call, hence its Arabic name ‘kurki.’ Flocks of these cranes fly in a ‘V’ formation. It is an uncommon migrant in Sinai and the Eastern Desert and is most commonly seen in the Gulf of Suez and Wadi Natrun.

Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758.

Length 38 cm. This waterbird is extremely easy to identify, being all black except for the red eyes, white frontal shield and bill; the juvenile is brown and lacks the white bill. The Common Coot breeds on the edges of lakes, ponds, and rivers and spends the winter on large lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. This is an omnivorous bird but is primarily vegetarian, eating vegetative parts and seeds of aquatic and sometimes terrestrial plants; animal food includes worms, insects, and fish. It is gregarious and feeds in flocks in the water; it is diurnal but is often active on moonlit nights. In Egypt, it is a common visitor to the Nile Valley, especially the Aswan Reservoir, and the Nile Delta.

Pycnonotus barbatus (Desfontaine, 1789)

Length 19 cm. This medium-sized bird is soberly dressed in grey-brown with a black head and blackish tail and wings. It is renowned in Arab poetry for its flute-like song. The Common Bulbul lives in urban gardens, farmlands, or areas with trees and bushes such as orchards and palm groves. It usually occurs in pairs or family parties towards the end of the breeding season but may gather into loose foraging flocks during the winter. Its food consists largely of fruit from a wide variety of wild and cultivated trees and shrubs; also arthropods, nectar, flowers, and some seeds. It is a monogamous territorial bird. The nest is neat and strong, but often thin-walled; it is in the form of a cup of dry grass, rootlets, and small twigs lined with finer plant fibers and animal hair. Two or three eggs are laid and incubated for 12-15 days by the female. This is a common resident breeding bird found in the Nile Valley and Delta, the Suez Canal area, and the region of Gebel Elba.

Acrocephalus stentoreus (Ehrenberg, 1833).

Length 18 cm.A largish warbler with mainly olive-brown plumage above with a slight rufous tinge on rump; paler below; the bill is long, and there is a noticeable pale eyestripe. Sexes are alike. The Clamorous Reed Warbler is largely confined to dense reed beds along canals and marshes. It is usually secretive but its presence is revealed by its distinctive loud, raucous song. It feeds on insects and other invertebrates. The nest is a cylindrical cup of reed stems and leaves lined with finer material. The breeding season is from May to July; the 3-6 eggs are incubated for 13 or 14 days by the female alone.
In Egypt, it is a common resident breeder in the Nile Valley and Delta.