Countries with No Bird Value? (1 Viewer)

[pianoman]

Lets say an American vagrant turns up on the west coast of Ireland. If you are from the UK and just want to get that species on your life list, then it is probably easier to see it in the US. But if it turns up in the UK then you'll want to twitch it to get it on your UK list. But if you're Irish, you'll be more inclined to go for it.

 

[lewis20126]

El Salvador ranks pretty low and is rarely visited by birders. I've never been, but my understanding is that there is very little forest left, so there is nothing that can't be seen much more easily in the more ecotourist-oriented countries elsewhere in Central America.

Not a lot in the BVI, although only a dependancy I think. Bardbados is fairly hopeless but has now got its own "Bullfinch". Lebanon looks grim but really ought to be quite good. Bosnia-H?

cheers, alan

 

[Zheljko]

Bosnia has seemingly thousands of Dunnocks in every riverside bush during winter
(I have ticked Dunnock exactly twice, once in the 1990s and once this winter, if it counts as winter at all, so it is a rarity for me. Over here it is a high-mountain bird like choughs and wallcreepers)

 

[Farnboro John]

I included Iceland purely for tick-based value. Obviously there are spectacular birding experiences there.

Agreed. I fancy going but if I do it will be for the joy of birding, not lifers, as apart from vagrants there are none.

John

 

[Mysticete]

While Tunisia and the Maldives might suck from a birding listing standpoint, my understanding is that both places are awesome for mammals...Tunisia being actively involved in the conservation of a variety of hoofed mammals extinct elsewhere, while the Maldives are probably the single best area in the world for tropical whales.

Those are both top destinations for me, someone who is primarily a birder.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Certainly some of the Caribbean islands could be given a miss (e.g. Antigua) since those species could be had on other islands which also have endemics.

Although I have spent some small amount of time birding in both, Togo and Benin don't really offer many species that can't be seen in Ghana (or Nigeria, if you dare).

And to be fair, based on the criteria of getting your ticks elsewhere, much of Canada would not be high on peoples' lists, but in reality, some areas of Canada like the Maritimes and Churchill are quite special for birding.

 

[MJB]

I never seem to see Italy come up much as a Birding destination and have never been so have no idea on the quality of birds and birding. Would be interested to see others opinions or am I way off the mark on this destination.

Italy has (had?) the largest number of urban bird atlases (probably proportionate to the human population) in Europe, which hints at widespread interest, and has many remarkable birder/ornithologists (Andrea Corso, a Bird Forum member, is a splendid example!).

Googling 'birding in Italy' gives 750800 results, but of course only a few hundred are worth checking through (that's an intended good-natured tease).

Despite the Italian keen-ness for hunting, there are many well-protected superb birding locations, too. I'm sure some of the BF Italian contingent can supply welcome recommendations.
MJB

 

[Allen S. Moore]

Bosnia has seemingly thousands of Dunnocks in every riverside bush during winter
(I have ticked Dunnock exactly twice, once in the 1990s and once this winter, if it counts as winter at all, so it is a rarity for me. Over here it is a high-mountain bird like choughs and wallcreepers)

Do you have red-billed choughs in Serbia?

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I visited Lanzarote last month after wanting to go since the early 1970s.

My advice for anyone else wanting to go to Lanzarote is to go to Fuerteventura instead.

A more birdless godforsaken rock than Lanzarote would be hard to imagine.

I like Fuerteventura.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Take Iceland above as an example - from a Western Palearctic listing perspective it does give ticks, just not from a world perspective. However, even on the world stage, species such as Gyrfalcon, Brunnich's Guillemot and Harlequin Duck will be easier than elsewhere.

Iceland was indeed the country that immediately sprang to mind when reading the question.

I have no doubt that for general birding, the country is both excellent and has that certain 'evocative' feel. But for 'ticks' and 'lifers' if they float your boat, there is only one species on the island that I have not seen in Britain, and ALL the specialities on the island are easily seen elsewhere, eg on a winter trip to New England, with the added advantage of the latter also adding umpteen more species.

I'm toying with a trip to Switzerland in summer but this would be for snow bunting.

I'd recommend the Norfolk coast, much better chance

Of course, if you fancied a Snow Finch ...

 

[wintibird]

I'm toying with a trip to Switzerland in summer but this would be for snow bunting and a small chance of rock partridge only. I don't even need wallcreeper although it would be nice to see another.

I hope you mean Snowfinch and not Snow Bunting, we don't have Snow Bunting, except as rare migrant. Late spring is much better for Rock Partridge than summer.

André

 

[dantheman]

Iceland was indeed the country that immediately sprang to mind when reading the question.

I have no doubt that for general birding, the country is both excellent and has that certain 'evocative' feel. But for 'ticks' and 'lifers' if they float your boat, there is only one species on the island that I have not seen in Britain, and ALL the specialities on the island are easily seen elsewhere, eg on a winter trip to New England, with the added advantage of the latter also adding umpteen more species.

I imagine the context in which the OP was asking the question was about 'ticks' and 'lifers' generally, rather than for any one particular individual.

(As stated I was distinguishing between 'WP' and 'world', although admittedly New England is also accesssible. I am told however that Iceland is the best place for Gyrfalcon).

 

[dantheman]

Sweden another country lower rated than its neighbours Finland and Norway and relatively ignored. However some species may be easier there (with good gen) -eg some of the owls.


Case in point - In 'The Biggest Twitch' Alan Davies and Ruth Miller had to go through some of this - choosing destinations that would maximise species and leaving out others which wouldn't.

 

[njlarsen]

My visit to Tunesia was also my first visit to N Africa, so gave me plenty of ticks (6 species of wheatear to mention one group).

Antigua is still the only island on which I have seen West Indian Whistling Duck (should be easy in Cuba?) and Masked Duck (a skulker everywhere I believe). Having said that, I personally prefer mainland locations where available, unless an island has endemics or is good for migration. I really do not expect to visit any of the islands between Montserrat and Puerto Rico, though.

Niels

 

[Trystan]

Iceland was indeed the country that immediately sprang to mind when reading the question.

I have no doubt that for general birding, the country is both excellent and has that certain 'evocative' feel. But for 'ticks' and 'lifers' if they float your boat, there is only one species on the island that I have not seen in Britain, and ALL the specialities on the island are easily seen elsewhere, eg on a winter trip to New England, with the added advantage of the latter also adding umpteen more species.





I'd recommend the Norfolk coast, much better chance

Of course, if you fancied a Snow Finch ...

Oops, it's only been 3 days since I saw a snow bunting so obviously high priority!

 

[Farnboro John]

there is only one species on the island that I have not seen in Britain.

I'm guessing that is Brunnich's Guillemot, which of course everyone in Britain has now seen in Britain

John

 

[Jos Stratford]

I'm guessing that is Brunnich's Guillemot, which of course everyone in Britain has now seen in Britain

Seen two ...same day, Shetlands, February 1987 :t:

(one was dead however - picked up floating in a bay - fortunately, several hours later, alive one at same location reappeared)

Missing species is Barrow's Goldeneye, only seen this in North America.

 

[Jacana]

Thinking of a few more:

North & South Korea (assuming that Crested Shelduck is no more), Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Brunei...

 

[jalid]

How about Spain, Turkey, Israel and Kazakhstan - all with no endemics, so obviously no birding value.

This thread would be better named as "countries which are not necessary to visit for a world lister".

 

[birdboybowley]

U K.....?