Oenanthe leucopyga (Brehm, 1855).

Length 17 cm. A glossy black wheatear with bold white crown, rump, and outer tail feathers. The juvenile and some females lack the white crown. The White-crowned Black Wheatear is resident in arid mountainous and desert areas and in Western Desert oases. It feeds mainly on insects but also takes plant material and small reptiles; it catches its prey in flight, on the ground, or in vegetation. Breeding occurs from March to April; the nest is a cup of dry grass, lined with wool and feathers, sometimes with a base of small stones and placed in holes, among rocks or, occasionally in the walls of buildings. The 3-5 eggs are incubated for 14 days. This is a common and widespread resident breeder found in the Eastern and Western Deserts and Sinai.

Pelecanus onocrotalus Linnaeus, 1758.

Length of male 175 cm; Female 150 cm. This large bird is characterized by its long powerful bill and the deep throat pouch that is used for fishing. The plumage is white, tinged pinkish with a yellow patch on the breast; flight feathers are black, seen from below. Pouch and legs are pinkish-yellow. During breeding, the facial skin becomes pinkish-yellow in male, bright orange in female. Juvenile is greyish-brown above, whitish below; becoming whiter with each molt. The White Pelican inhabits freshwater or brackish lakes, lagoons, and marshes where it feeds on large fish. It normally feeds in groups, and the flocks fly in organized rows. In Egypt, this impressive bird is an uncommon migrant in the Red Sea, Sinai, and the Nile Valley and Delta and is more abundant during autumn. It is a rare winter visitor to Lake Nasser.

Bucanetes githagineus (Lichtenstein, 1823).

Length 12 cm. A small, dumpy ground-dwelling finch. The adult male in summer plumage has a grey head and is generally pale brown with a pink wash on the underparts and wings; the very stout bill is bright orange-red. Female and wintering male are duller in color, and the legs are always orange. The Trumpeter Finch inhabits mountainous and stony deserts and semi-deserts, where grasses such as Panicum turgidum are available; usually not too far from open water sources like water wells and springs. The distinctive song, from which it gets its name, is like a toy trumpet. This bird lives in small flocks, feeding early and late in the day on seeds and insects. It builds its nest of grasses in small crevices in inaccessible rocky ledges or among rocks. An uncommon but widespread breeding resident in the Western and Eastern Deserts and Sinai. The best place to see these little birds is in the Valley of Kings at Luxor.

Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758.

Length 19 cm. This bird is blue-black on its back; the underparts are creamy with a dark breast band and reddish brown throat and forehead. The Egyptian subspecies has rusty brown underparts. The adult bird has long tail streamers; shorter in the juvenile; the wings are long and narrow. The Swallow inhabits agricultural areas, swamps, rivers, and lakes and feeds on flying insects, which it catches on the wing. It builds its nests under bridges, in crevices, and on buildings in spring; the eggs are incubated by both parents; typical clutch size is five. The average lifespan of the Swallows is four years. In Egypt, it is a common breeding resident and passage migrant; it is found in the Nile Valley and Delta and the Suez Canal area.

Saxicola torquatus (Linnaeus, 1766).

Length 11-13 cm. This is a small bird; the male is notable for its tricolor plumage of black head, chestnut breast, and white patches on neck, wings, and rump. Females and juveniles are brown on the head and back, with the chestnut and white areas less pronounced. The Stonechat is found in semi-deserts and dry farmland, where it feeds on medium-sized insects and other invertebrates. It is a common winter visitor to Egypt.

Aquila nipalensis Hodgson, 1833.

Length 70-80 cm. The Steppe Eagle is the commonest migratory eagle in Egypt. The overall color is dark brown with a prominent rufous patch on the nape, and the iris is always brown. Both sexes are alike, but the female is slightly larger than the male. Juveniles and immature birds have a characteristic broad whitish band along the underwing coverts. This bird lives in steppes and semi-deserts, feeding on mammals, reptiles, insects, and carrion; during migration, it may be seen over many types of habitat. It forages by soaring high over its prey and diving to capture it; it also ambushes prey by waiting at the entrances to burrows and may take some prey while walking about on the ground. This eagle is a common migrant in the Eastern Desert and Sinai.

Pterocles senegallus (Linnaeus, 1771).

Length 33 cm. A generally sandy bird; recognizable in flight by the presence of a diagnostic black stripe on the belly, the dark trailing edge of the wing, and the elongated needle-like tail feathers. The throat and sides of the head are orange-yellow, and the male has a blue-grey stripe through the eye; the female has dark spots on the breast and back; the bill is black. The Spotted Sandgrouse lives in deserts or semi-deserts with sparse or fairly thick vegetation, feeding primarily on small seeds; it often flies long distances in search of water in the early morning. Breeding occurs from May to July; the nest is a scrape or natural depression on the ground, and the three eggs are incubated for 30 days by the female during the day and the male at night. The adults bring water for the chicks from the drinking places, carrying it in their breast feathers. A resident breeding bird in Egypt, frequenting the Western and Eastern Deserts and Sinai.

Platalea leucorodia Linnaeus, 1758.

Length 90 cm. A large white bird with an unmistakable long black bill, spoon-shaped at the tip. The adult has a yellow breast band and, in the breeding season, a long yellow crest. The Spoonbill lives in the Red Sea mangrove swamps, and salt marshes and spends the winter in marshes and estuaries. It feeds on small fish, aquatic organisms, and sometimes algae and other aquatic plants. It is partly nocturnal and feeds in small flocks, by sweeping its bill back and forth through the shallow water to catch its food. The nest is a platform of sticks, reeds, or grass stems, often built on mangrove trees. Sexual maturity is at three or four years, 3-4 eggs are laid and incubated by the mother. In Egypt, it is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor, and a rare breeding resident on the Red Sea Coast. It is also found in the Western Desert, North Sinai, and the Nile Valley and Delta.

Larus genei Brème, 1839.

Length 43 cm. The head, neck, rump, and tail of this gull are white; the back is grey; the upper wings are grey with black tips. The iris is yellowish-white and there is a red eye ring; the bill is long, slim, and dark red; the legs are red. The Slender-billed Gull inhabits marine and inland waters, utilizing islands, sand spits, and beaches and eating fish, insects, marine invertebrates, and some vegetable matter. It can breed in the first two or three years of age and nests in colonies of thousands of pairs; the two or three eggs are incubated for 22 days. This bird is an abundant winter visitor along the Mediterranean Coast, and it breeds at Lake Malaha (North Sinai) and Lake Qarun.