Bird's Eye View
Jumeirah Islands is vastly different to other developments in Dubai where the buildings are left in flat, dusty isolation.
An emphasis on being ‘green’ has meant that residents at Jumeirah Islands are surrounded by a variety of recreational areas, as well as extensive landscaping containing luscious plants and trees, water features and lakes. What many residents may not realise is that a variety of different species of bird and an abundance of wildlife, also call Jumeirah Islands home.
Birds really only require food, water and shelter to survive, all of which is available in Jumeirah Islands. In planted areas where clusters of trees, plants and grass are built up, even the casual observer will have noticed the turquoise of an Indian Roller and the brilliance of Little Green Bee-eaters, both of which are breeding residents in Jumeirah Islands.
Common Mynas, White-eared and Redvented Bulbuls are recently introduced birds which are now also well established in the community. These species are abundant together with the endemic Laughing Dove and the Graceful Prinia: a small warbler-like bird with an endearing trilling song. Indian Silverbills, small finch-like birds, are also resident and feed on the seeds of ornamental grasses.
Raucous voiced Red-wattled Lapwings are found in almost every location where they can find food; Black-winged Stilts and Common Sandpipers are also common along the waters edge. The lakes attract Little Grebes and ducks such as Mallard and Common Teal. An area attractive to resident birds frequently also suits those which migrate. Hoopoes, for example are typically pink birds with black and white wings, which were once winter visitors but now spend the whole year in the community as breeding residents.
Dubai sits between Africa and breeding areas in the northern Palearctic, a geographical area stretching between Eastern Europe and Western Central Asia. This means that we see a wide variety of migratory birds passing through, particularly in autumn, such as Isabelline Shrikes, Barn Swallows, Common Swifts, Little Egrets, Grey Herons, White winged and Whiskered Terns, Yellow and White Wagtails, Warblers such as Chiffchaff and Whitethroat and the odd Marsh Harrier.
Further information on birdlife in Dubai can be found at the UAE birding website at www.uaebirding.com