Oman – Arabia's Finest Birding – A Gallery

Oman offers a remarkable blend of desert, mountain and ocean, making it one of the Middle East’s most rewarding destinations for birding and marine wildlife. Cooler, drier weather from October to April provides the most comfortable conditions for exploring its varied habitats, from the coast of the Arabian Sea to the famous Empty Quarter.

For birders, Oman’s real magic lies in its mix of Arabian specialities, migrants and winter visitors. The period from October to February is especially productive, with huge numbers of passage and wintering birds at wetlands and along the coast, alongside regional specialities in the mountains and deserts. This is also when pelagic trips offer up the most species such as petrels, shearwaters, and boobies.

Key target species each have slightly different seasonal peaks. The highly sought-after Sooty Falcon breeds on offshore islands such as Al Fahl and is usually present until the end of October or early November. The famous Grey Hypocolius arrives at traditional wintering sites in desert oases from the first week of November, with birds then present through the winter. Pelagic bird numbers and diversity are strong throughout the cooler months alongside regular cetacean sightings, including Humpback Whales, dolphins and even the odd Sperm Whale if you get lucky!

Below we present a small selection of the photographs taken by our tour leader, Chris Griffin, on our tour in November. To view the images larger, please click on the crosshairs in the centre of each image.

For more details on the tour, please follow the button below:

Tour info

We can also offer tailormade tours to the region. For more information, please contact Dan Lay at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..