A Survey of Summer Breeding Seabirds on Elba National Park Islands, the Red Sea, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

The present work aimed to survey breeding seabird populations on six islands of the Elba National Park, Egypt;   Um Qushayyat and Abu Madfa, Marya, Big Syal, Middle Syal, and Small Syal during the summer seasons of 2017 to 2019, inclusive. Seven nesting seabird species;  Lesser crested tern Thalasseus bengalensis, Crested tern Thalasseus bergii, White-cheeked tern Sterna repressa,  Bridled tern Onychoprion anaethetus, Crab plover Dromas ardeola,  White-eyed gull Larus leucophthalmus, Sooty gull Larus hemprichii, were observed. The estimated numbers of seabirds observed on these islands were  5097, 3697, and 6145 breeding pairs in the summer seasons of 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. These results confirm the importance of the Elba National Park for seabirds since it provides suitable and protected breeding sites for such bird species.

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