Status of House Bunting in northernmost Morocco (a stone's throw from Europe) (1 Viewer)

Acrocephalus · Jun 22, 2012

This may interest potential birders hoping to see the species not in northern Morocco but in the Iberian Peninsula in the near future.

As everyone here knows, House Bunting Emberiza sahari colonised the Medina of Tangier in 2006 (or even before), but until recently it has never been recorded from Tétouan, Larache or other northern cities and towns.

Last autumn and in 2009, we have seen them in many parts of Tangier far away from their traditional stronghold in the old Medina.

This year, a friend of my friend, videoed and photographed them feeding at his home in a district some 1.5 Km to the SE of the Medina of Tétouan.

I will let you comment on “when you will start to see them regularly” on the northern shore of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Links:
House Buntings at Tangier (status as of autumn 2011).
House Bunting colonisation of Tétouan (spring 2012).
A video of a dozen House Buntings inside a room used to store hardware in Tangier.

Best regards,

Motmot · Jun 22, 2012

Only as a vagrant (or escapee) in S Iberia so far. They'll be welcomed here

MJB · Jun 22, 2012

Acrocephalus said:
As everyone here knows, House Bunting Emberiza sahari colonised the Medina of Tangier in 2006 (or even before), but until recently it has never been recorded from Tétouan, Larache or other northern cities and towns. Last autumn and in 2009, we have seen them in many parts of Tangier far away from their traditional stronghold in the old Medina. This year, a friend of my friend, videoed and photographed them feeding at his home in a district some 1.5 Km to the SE of the Medina of Tétouan.
Best regards,

Mohamed,
Do you know of any ringing studies in Morocco that have involved House Bunting? These might show the extent of movements, population changes or sedentariness, perhaps providing an indicator of the possibility of colonisation of Iberia...
MJB

Acrocephalus · Jun 29, 2012

MJB said:
Mohamed,
Do you know of any ringing studies in Morocco that have involved House Bunting? These might show the extent of movements, population changes or sedentariness, perhaps providing an indicator of the possibility of colonisation of Iberia...
MJB

Mike,

Unfortunately there is no such study for House Bunting or any other species, the only thing we know about there expansion north of the Atlas Mountains comes from the accumulation of observations of the species in new cities and towns during the last decades.

Jon Turner · Jun 29, 2012

Ah if only the car hadn't broken a steering rod we might have got to Tangier that day Mo, still need this species!

MJB · Jun 29, 2012

Acrocephalus said:
Mike, Unfortunately there is no such study for House Bunting or any other species, the only thing we know about there expansion north of the Atlas Mountains comes from the accumulation of observations of the species in new cities and towns during the last decades.

Mohamed,
Thanks!
MJB

Acrocephalus · Jun 29, 2012

Jon Turner said:
Ah if only the car hadn't broken a steering rod we might have got to Tangier that day Mo, still need this species!

Jon, visit whenever you like, they are becoming easier to see now in a number of districts in Tangier.

Mike, you are welcome.

Acrocephalus · Mar 29, 2013

House Bunting breeding in Tétouan, 2013

House Bunting is apparently incubating (note the brood patch) now at Tétouan, attached is a photo taken today by my friend Rachid El Khamlichi.

Zheljko · Mar 30, 2013

Lovely color. Are there reports from eastern Mediterranean? Cirl buntings and black-headed buntings are becoming more and more common in the northern Balkans.
How do they behave toward other garden birds? Are they displacing any other species?

Acrocephalus · Mar 30, 2013

Zheljko said:
Lovely color. Are there reports from eastern Mediterranean? Cirl buntings and black-headed buntings are becoming more and more common in the northern Balkans.
How do they behave toward other garden birds? Are they displacing any other species?

I don't know about the eastern Mediterranean, but I guess it's far away from it's core area in the central Sahara.

Concerning the behaviour of these birds in their new home in northern Morocco, most of the time they are found near or inside human habitations searching for food, so there is no interaction with other bird species for food (probably with the exception of House Sparrow). The same can be said for nesting places. From what I see in Tangier and Tétouan they are not displaying any species, I think they are just occupying an "empty niche".

MJB · Mar 30, 2013

Acrocephalus said:
I don't know about the eastern Mediterranean, but I guess it's far away from it's core area in the central Sahara.

Although the breeding distribution is largely NW Africa to Chad, there is one 1928 Egyptian specimen (BMNH 1965 M 16315) possibly representative of small scattered populations in SW Egypt at Jebel Uweinat. Unfortunately, it was collected by Meinertzhagen, 'at Sallum', and is thus suspect, though the date is before his known 'purple patch' of high-intensity fraudulence within numerous specimen collections worldwide. Nevertheless, he was known for making fraudulent claims during his military career in WWI, particularly portraying himself as being the officer in charge at a time when he was a junior officer in largely clerical appointments.

Birds of the Eastern Mediterranean and points eastward are now Striolated Bunting, Emberiza striolata.
MJB

Zheljko · Mar 30, 2013

Thank you!

Acrocephalus · Jun 3, 2015

Out of the cities: House Buting at Jbel Moussa

House Bunting at Jbel Moussa, only 14 Km away from Tarifa (Spain). After Tangier and Tétouan, this is the first record of the species outside of the cities in northern Morocco. Although the observation involved only one individual (for now), the breeding is likely according to the observer Rachid El Khamlichi.

I will keep updating this thread until the species starts to breed in Andalusia.

Status of House Bunting in northernmost Morocco (a stone's throw from Europe) (1 Viewer)

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