Oman Ramsar wetland
Al Ansab Wetlands
235 bird species recorded; the most from October to November.
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30
This month here
171 species in January.169 species in February.148 species in March.130 species in April.92 species in May.67 species in June.79 species in July.83 species in August.149 species in September.186 species in October.197 species in November.155 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
NTNT
VUNTVU- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
235 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 235Speciesrecorded more than once
- 126Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 8ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 26,568Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 21Raptors
- 1Owls
- 43Waders
- 22Gulls & seabirds
- 16Ducks & geese
- 18Herons, ibises & grebes
- 1Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 81Songbirds
- 31Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 235 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors21 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Steppe eagleAquila nipalensis
- Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata
- Eastern Imperial EagleAquila heliacaVU
- Long-legged BuzzardButeo rufinus
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- Lappet-faced VultureTorgos tracheliotos
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Crested Honey BuzzardPernis ptilorhynchus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Sooty FalconFalco concolorVU
Owls1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Spotted Eagle-OwlBubo africanus
Waders43 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- RedshankTringa totanus
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Greater Sand PloverCharadrius leschenaultii
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- White-tailed LapwingVanellus leucurus
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenura
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Asian DowitcherLimnodromus semipalmatusNT
- Caspian PloverCharadrius asiaticus
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
- Pheasant-tailed JacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Long-toed StintCalidris subminuta
- Little PratincoleGlareola lactea
- Spur-winged LapwingVanellus spinosus
- Crab-ploverDromas ardeola
Gulls & seabirds22 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Sooty GullIchthyaetus hemprichii
- Great Crested-TernThalasseus bergii
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Lesser Crested TernThalasseus bengalensis
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Saunders's TernSternula saundersi
- White-cheeked TernSterna repressa
- Pallas's GullIchthyaetus ichthyaetus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Bridled TernOnychoprion anaethetus
- Persian ShearwaterPuffinus persicus
Ducks & geese16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- GadwallMareca strepera
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Cotton Pygmy GooseNettapus coromandelianus
Herons, ibises & grebes18 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Indian Pond-HeronArdeola grayii
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Socotra CormorantPhalacrocorax nigrogularisVU
- Dalmatian PelicanPelecanus crispusNT
Storks & cranes1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds81 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Delicate PriniaPrinia lepida
- Purple SunbirdCinnyris asiaticus
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- House CrowCorvus splendens
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- White-eared BulbulPycnonotus leucotis
- Indian SilverbillEuodice malabarica
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Clamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreus
- Yellow-vented BulbulPycnonotus xanthopygos
- Pale Crag MartinPtyonoprogne obsoleta
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
- Isabelline ShrikeLanius isabellinus
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Desert wheatearOenanthe deserti
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Red-tailed WheatearOenanthe chrysopygia
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Arabian BabblerTurdoides squamiceps
- Isabelline wheatearOenanthe isabellina
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Rufous-tailed ShrikeLanius phoenicuroides
- Streaked WeaverPloceus manyar
- Brown-necked RavenCorvus ruficollis
- Siberian stonechatSaxicola maurus
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- House BuntingEmberiza striolata
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Rufous-tailed Scrub RobinErythropygia galactotes
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Long-billed PipitAnthus similis
- Desert LarkAmmomanes deserti
- Menetries's WarblerSylvia mystacea
- Desert WarblerSylvia nana
- Yellow-throated SparrowGymnoris xanthocollis
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Eastern Orphean WarblerSylvia crassirostris
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Hume's WheatearOenanthe albonigra
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Eastern Olivaceous WarblerIduna pallida
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Upcher's WarblerHippolais languida
- Pied WheatearOenanthe pleschanka
- Bank MynaAcridotheres ginginianus
- Graceful WarblerPrinia gracilis
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Spice FinchLonchura punctulata
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Superb StarlingLamprotornis superbus
- Pale RockfinchCarpospiza brachydactyla
- Streaked Scrub WarblerScotocerca inquieta
- Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogon
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Red AvadavatAmandava amandava
- Wire-tailed SwallowHirundo smithii
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
Other birds31 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Arabian Green Bee-eaterMerops cyanophrys
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Ortygornis pondicerianusOrtygornis pondicerianus
- Indian RollerCoracias benghalensisNT
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- CootFulica atra
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Pterocles exustusPterocles exustus
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eaterMerops persicus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Lichtenstein's SandgrousePterocles lichtensteinii
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Namaqua DoveOena capensis
- Sand PartridgeAmmoperdix heyi
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Alexandrine ParakeetPsittacula eupatria
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Baillon's CrakePorzana pusilla
- Egyptian NightjarCaprimulgus aegyptius
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- European SwiftApus apus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from October to November.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan24°/14°18 mm
- Feb26°/15°14 mm
- Mar30°/18°21 mm
- Apr35°/23°12 mm
- May39°/28°6 mm
- Jun40°/30°12 mm
- Jul40°/30°10 mm
- Aug39°/29°8 mm
- Sep37°/27°4 mm
- Oct34°/24°6 mm
- Nov29°/20°9 mm
- Dec25°/16°10 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Al Ansab Wetlands.
Nature sanctuary in Muscat, Oman
Al Ansab Wetlands is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Oman.
235 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 26,568 open records.
The most recorded are the Common Myna, the Red-wattled Lapwing and the Laughing Dove.
26 species come for the summer, 94 for the winter and 6 only pass through.
8 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, Curlew Sandpiper and Grey Plover.
The most species are recorded from October to November.
Get there and watch
- Official informationAccess, hours and rules from those who manage the place.Official site↗
- Break campcampsite · 5.1 km · 5 within 10 km
- Golden Tulip Seebplace to stay · 3.6 km · 122 within 10 km
- Bawsharnearest town · 7.5 km in a straight line
- Muscat International Airport (MCT)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 6 km in a straight lineCar hire at MCT airport (Muscat/Seeb)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 2visitor centres within 6 km
- 4viewpoints within 5 kmMirrors L.L.C, Aggreko and 2 more
- 36car parks within 3 km
- 11restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 5campsites within 10 kmBreak camp, منتزه شاطيء العذيبه, بيت عمي سعيد and 2 more
- 122places to stay within 10 kmGolden Tulip Seeb, النخبة للشقق الفندقية, Al Manaf Hotel Suites and 119 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Al Ansab Wetlands.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas10 mountains within 25 kmJabal Makīb · 13 kmJabal Muraywah · 16 kmJabal Khuwī · 16 kmJabal Misfāh1,018 m · 17 kmJabal Qirmadhil · 18 kmRuwi · 22 kmJabal Nahd · 23 kmJabal Fanjah · 23 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q130582078) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 26,568 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit