Pied Crow and Snow Bunting in Strait of Gibraltar area

The Pied Crow was photographed at Fnideq on 3 December 2020 by Rachid El Khamlichi. The species was first observed at the town’s landfill in March 2015.

Without markings (e.g. colour rings), it's difficult to know if it's the same bird or not. However, their tendency to stay many years in the same area (e.g. the Pied Crow at Mhamid) may indicate it's the same bird(s).

It’s also difficult to say if it’s the same bird that frequented Ceuta during the last years. Local birder Joaquín López Rodríguez commented that they have not seen it in the city since a few months (probably since at least the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic).

Pied Crow (Corvus albus), Fnideq, 3 Dec 2020 (Rachid El Khamlichi)

Pied Crow (Corvus albus), Fnideq, 3 Dec 2020 (Rachid El Khamlichi)



The Snow Bunting was photographed at Ceuta on 15 December 2020 by Julio Perez. Thanks to fellow birder Diego Jeréz for sharing the observation.

Snow Bunting is a rare and accidental visitor to Northwest Africa. In Morocco, there are six previous records (Among these, only two were in the 21st century, the others are old, i.e. compiled in the “Birds of Morocco” by Thévenot et al 2003). So, this would be the seventh. 

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Ceuta, 15 Dec 2020 (Julio Perez)

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Ceuta, 15 Dec 2020 (Julio Perez)

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Ceuta, 15 Dec 2020 (Julio Perez)

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Ceuta, 15 Dec 2020 (Julio Perez)


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