When people think of birdwatching, perhaps the last thing they think of is Iraq, especially if you are living in the United States. This is most likely not only due to the ongoing war but also because most people in America see Iraq and the middle east as a place that is arid and dry and...well, sandy. However, there are tons of species of birds in Iraq and unlike what you are picturing in your head, Iraq is not all desert but is a country of mountains and rich ecosystems that are perfect for some types of birds. And while it is most likely not advisable to visit this area at the moment, perhaps you can put Iraq on the "to-do" list for your future world wide birding vacation.
NOTE: A lot of these birds are migratory and not indigenous to Iraq.
So, What types of birds can you expect to find in Iraq?
Grebes- This avian class is better known as "fresh water diving birds" and most can be found all through Iraq, but mostly throughout the southern and middle of Iraq. Some of the species include...
- Great Crested Grebe
- Red Necked Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Black Neck/ Eared Grebe
- Little Grebe
- Hawfinch
- Twite Carduelis
- European Greenfinch Carduelis
- Desert Finch
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- Fire-fronted Serin Serinus
- Eurasian Siskin Carduelis
- Crimson-winged Finch
- European Serin Serinus
- Common Rosefinch Carpodacus
- Common Redpoll Carduelis
- Brambling Fringilla
- Chaffinch Fringilla
- Eurasian Linnet Carduelis
- Syrian Serin Serinus
- European Goldfinch
- Trumpeter Finch
- Pale Rockfinch
- Dead Sea Sparrow Passer
- Chestnut-shouldered Petronia
- Spanish Sparrow Passer
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer
- White-winged Snowfinch
- House Sparrow Passer
- Rock Petronia
- Corn Bunting
- Yellowhammer
- Ortolan Bunting
- Black-headed Bunting
- Cinereous Bunting
- Red-headed Bunting
- Rock Bunting
- Yellow-breasted Bunting
- Pine Bunting
- Reed Bunting
- Rustic Bunting
- Eurasian Starling
- Common Myna
- Rosy Starling Pastor
- European Starling
- Yellow-billed Chough
- Brown-necked Raven
- Eurasian Jay Garrulus
- Red-billed Chough
- Rook Corvus
- Hooded Crow
- Common Raven
- Eurasian Jackdaw
- Carrion Crow
- Eurasian Magpie
- Long-tailed Tit
- Great Tit
- Eurasian Penduline Tit
- Sombre Tit
- Blue Tit
- Masked Shrike
- Southern Gray Shrike
- Red-backed Shrike
- Woodchat Shrike
- Rufous-tailed Shrike
- Lesser Gray Shrike
- Rock Nuthatch
- Persian Nuthatch
- Eurasian Nuthatch
- Spotted Flycatcher
- European Stonechat Saxicola
- Isabelline Wheatear
- Finsch's Wheatear
- Whinchat Saxicola
- European Robin
- White-throated Robin
- Semicollared Flycatcher
- Black Redstart Phoenicurus
- Hume's Wheatear
- Black-eared Wheatear
- Common Redstart Phoenicurus
- Thrush Nightingale
- Red-breasted Flycatcher
- Rufous-backed Redstart Phoenicurus
- White-tailed Wheatear
- Red-tailed Wheatear
- Pied Bushchat Saxicola
- Bluethroat
- Collared Flycatcher
- Siberian Stonechat Saxicola
- Mourning Wheatear
- Desert Wheatear
- Northern Wheatear
- Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
- Common Nightingale
- Red-rumped Wheatear
- Hooded Wheatear
- Pied Wheatear
- Moustached Warbler
- Upcher's Warbler
- Eastern Bonelli's Warbler
- Garden Warbler
- Common Chiffchaff
- Icterine Warbler
- Eurasian River Warbler
- Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
- Eurasian Reed-Warbler
- Sedge Warbler
- Clamorous Reed-Warbler
- Grasshopper Warbler
- Cetti's Warbler
- Great Reed-Warbler
- Zitting Cisticola
- African Desert Warbler
- Mountain Chiffchaff
- Yellow-browed Warbler
- Menetries's Warbler
- Eastern Orphean Warbler
- Savi's Warbler
- Basra Reed-Warbler
- Small Whitethroat
- Sardinian Warbler
- Marsh Warbler
- Willow Warbler
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Graceful Prinia
- Spectacled Warbler
- Streaked Scrub-Warbler
- Wood Warbler
- Barred Warbler
- Blackcap Sylvia
- Greater Whitethroat
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