Socotra bird watching welcomes solo bird watchers – beginners or experienced. There can be many advantages in bird watching with an organized group of like-minded people under the guidance of an expert birder with local knowledge.
The birdlife of the island is incredibly diverse; supposedly, over 450 species of birds are recorded, of which nearly 6 species are endemic to the island :
- Socotra rock Banting (Emberiza Socotran)
- Socotra Cisticola (Cisticola haesitata)
- Socotra Sparrow or “SOCOTRA GRACKLE” (Onychognathus frater)
- Socotra Starling
- Socotra Sunbird (Nectarinia balfouri)
- Socotra Warbler (Incana incana).
11 are endemic sub-species, for instance, Socotra Buzzard (Buteo buteo ssp). 45 species of birds breeding on the island, such as Forbes-Watson’s Swift, Somali Starling, Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Palm Doves (Streptopelia senegalensis), etc.
A large number of migrant birds arrive on the island during winter and summer, of which waders and other coastal birds make up a significant proportion like Greater Flamingoes (Phoenicopterus rubber), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Sooty-Gulls (Larus hemprichii), Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), etc. Unfortunately, there is not enough data regarding the migrant species.
Socotra bird-watching tours aim to provide a natural bird-watching package without using undesirable and harmful methods detrimental to the community of rare birds and the tourism industry in the long run.