Falco biarmicus Temminck, 1825.

Length 43 cm. A fairly large falcon that is brownish-grey above with barred underparts and a chestnut crown that extends to the nape. The female is larger and often darker than the male; juvenile is brown above with the underparts heavily streaked. This is a characteristic desert raptor that lives in a variety of habitats ranging from dry flat open desert to mountains, oases, and even urban areas. It feeds mainly on medium-sized birds, in addition to bats, rodents, lizards, and insects, which it hunts primarily by fast aerial pursuit. The Lanner nests in old structures of other raptors or crows in trees or scrapes on cliffs, occasionally on buildings. Three to four eggs are laid and the incubation lasts for 32 days. It is an uncommon resident breeder in the Eastern and Western Deserts and Sinai, particularly along the Red Sea Coast and near the Nile Valley and the Western Desert oases. The species has declined sharply in numbers due to the collection by falcon hunters.

Charadrius alexandrinus Linnaeus, 1758.

Length 16 cm. A small pale plover with longish legs. Adult male displays a distinct black mark on the forehead and cheeks, incomplete black breast band, and black eyes and bill. The legs are blackish; underparts are pale. Female is paler and the black markings are replaced by brown. The Kentish Plover is primarily found on sandy beaches but also on open mud flats near saline lakes and lagoons; it avoids rocky or broken ground. Its diet consists mainly of insects together with crustaceans, gastropods, and other small marine organisms. This monogamous bird nests on bare ground, forming a simple scrape lined with small pebbles and vegetation, often near water. The three eggs are incubated for 23-29 days by both parents. This is a common resident breeder along the Mediterranean and Red Sea Coasts and a migrant winter visitor.

Aquila heliaca Savigny, 1809.

Length 72-84 cm. This very large eagle is overall dark brown but the crown, nape, sides of the head, and neck have pale tawny-buff lanceolate feathers forming a pale helmet-like patch. During migration, the Imperial Eagle is found over mountainous steppes feeding on medium-sized mammals although a few birds are taken and occasionally carrion, especially in winter and during migration. The prey is mainly taken on the ground by perch hunting or soaring. This is a globally vulnerable bird and is an uncommon migrant that is found in the Eastern Desert and Sinai.

Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 15 cm. A small stocky bird; the male with a chestnut brown back, grey head, white cheeks, and black bib; the female is plain streaky brown. Both sexes have stout bills. The House Sparrow, as its name suggests, prefers areas associated with humans including urban areas and farms. Its food consists of seeds supplemented by insects; it often forages on the ground with characteristic hopping movements. It is sometimes considered to be a pest. Its nest is often on buildings beneath roof tiles or behind water pipes, however, it occasionally places the nest in the open on trees, in which case it is a more elaborate domed-structure with side entrance, lined with feathers and hair. The breeding period is from early April to late June, 2-5 eggs are laid and incubated for 11-14 days by both parents. In Egypt, this is an abundant resident breeder and is widespread in all urban and arable areas; it is introduced over much of the world.

Alaemon alaudipes (Desfontaines, 1789).

Length 18-20 cm. A large lark with a long curved bill; plumage essentially sandy grey above, white below with dark spotting on the breast and transverse dull black bands on the folded wings. Appearance in flight is dramatically different with the black and white bands on both wing surfaces. Both sexes are alike. The Hoopoe Lark is an inhabitant of wide sandy wadis with sparse vegetation and near salt marshes along coasts. It feeds mainly on subterranean insects and, where available, snails and small lizards, as well as a little plant material; much of its food is obtained by digging. The nest is built in or on top of low shrubs and is constructed of twigs woven into the shrub and lined with further twigs and wool. The two to three eggs are incubated for about two weeks by the female only. This is a common resident breeder in the Western and Eastern Deserts and Sinai.

Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758.

Length 90-98 cm. This tall bird has a long neck, powerful yellow bill, and yellow legs; the plumage is generally grey with the head and neck white and a black crest. Juveniles are mostly grey without black or crest on the head. The Grey Heron lives in wetlands, rivers and lakes, the seashore, swamps, and among mangroves. Its food consists of fish, amphibians, insects, crustaceans, rodents, and small birds. Although, grey herons roost and nest in groups, they hunt alone and are most active at dawn and dusk. This is a common migrant and winter visitor in Egypt.

Clanga clanga (Pallas, 1811).

Length 60-70 cm. An almost black eagle with broad rounded wings; the female is only slightly larger than the male. Juvenile and immature are easily recognizable by the white to yellow spots on the back and wings. The Greater Spotted Eagle is usually found near the large wetlands, rivers, and lakes where it feeds on mammals, reptiles, amphibians, small fish, and carrion. This globally vulnerable eagle is an uncommon migrant and a rare winter visitor in the Nile Valley and Delta and during migration, it may be seen in the Eastern Desert, Red Sea, and Sinai.

Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas, 1811.

Length 125-145 cm. It is not difficult to identify the flamingo due to its large size, distinctive red and white plumage, very long legs and neck, and the downward curved red and black bill. The juvenile plumage is essentially grey-brown, turning to dirty white and only gaining the striking red wing coverts, as it gets older, to produce a stunning contrast with the black flight feathers. The Greater Flamingo lives in saline lagoons and lakes, where it favors shallow muddy areas in which it can feed on the minute organisms suspended in the water, such as plankton, blue-green algae, and a few crustaceans, and mollusks, which it sieves through its specialized beak. This bird feeds during both day and night and is social in habit, living in large colonies. The nest is constructed of mud and is 25 cm high and 35-40 cm wide. Breeding takes place during March and July; a single egg is laid and is incubated for one month by both parents. Occasional breeders in Lake Bardawil and Lake Mallaha in northwest Sinai. A common winter visitor that apparently migrates by night.

Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length 90 cm. A large black bird that is easily distinguished in summer by the conspicuous white patches on the face and thighs. Juveniles are browner with a variable amount of the white color on the underparts. The Great Cormorant inhabits coasts, estuaries, inland lakes, and rivers. This excellent swimmer and diver catches fish by diving from the surface of the water. It brings fish back to the surface and tosses them into the air to catch and swallow them from the head first. It can sometimes be seen standing on rocks or posts drying its outstretched wings. It can cause substantial damage to fisheries. It is a common winter visitor to the Mediterranean and Red Sea Coasts of Egypt, as well as the Nile Valley and Delta wetlands.

Prinia gracilis (Lichtenstein, 1823).

Length 10 cm. A very small warbler with a long tail that is kept erect and sometimes twitched from side to side. The plumage is streaked brownish and the tail feathers are tipped black and white, giving it a banded appearance. The Graceful warbler inhabits gardens, farmland, and areas of long grass or reeds, often near water. This active, noisy little bird feeds chiefly on insects taken from foliage or on the ground. The nest is an untidy domed-shape, constructed of dry grass mixed with down leaves, and rootlets and lined with softer downy material. Breeding takes place in spring and the 3-5 eggs are incubated for 11-13 days by both parents. This is a common breeding resident in Egypt in the Eastern and Western Deserts and Sinai.