Benedict Macdonald
Well-known member
Having rediscovered Caspian Tit in the Hyrcan Forest in Azerbaijan this June, it has become apparent that in some cases, breeding species in the WP can, occasionally, be rediscovered by travelling into extremely remote or unstudied habitats where the original cause for decline elsewhere (intensification, deforestation and so on) has yet to take hold. These sites are often many miles from paved roads and reward effort to reach them.
It has become apparent that some very remote areas of Sous-Massa Draa in Morocco (not the Taroudant area, which is now heavily degraded), still hold prime habitat for Dark Chanting Goshawk. It is even possible that the species was never recorded here in earlier decades, and so no one has therefore sought it after the demise of the very few 'nailed on' sites used by birders in the 1990s. The same was true for Caspian Tit, not seen since 1976, longer ago than Dark Chanting Goshawk was found breeding in Morocco. Whilst the species is certainly extinct at known sites, it may not be at unknown ones.
I am therefore appealing to all birders not for information on recent sites, as this is well-worn on the forum, but for information on what is known of breeding biology in Morocco (NOT southern African countries where the nesting timing is very different). Given the species' propensity for being very vocal prior to nesting, I would like to know when the last known pairs in Morocco displayed, nested and raised young. This would help enormously with refinding any remaining pairs. Clearly, the best time for an informed but speculative search would be prior to egg-laying when display peaks. Literature has this time as anywhere from September to March, my instinct is late winter, around Jan and Feb, but I would love to hear from 'older' birders and Moroccan experts.
It may seem stupidity to even bother searching for Dark Chanting Goshawk, but if Caspian Tit can be refound there is every chance this is not yet off the cards in areas outside of the reach of agriculture.
Ben Macdonald
www.ben-macdonald.co.uk
It has become apparent that some very remote areas of Sous-Massa Draa in Morocco (not the Taroudant area, which is now heavily degraded), still hold prime habitat for Dark Chanting Goshawk. It is even possible that the species was never recorded here in earlier decades, and so no one has therefore sought it after the demise of the very few 'nailed on' sites used by birders in the 1990s. The same was true for Caspian Tit, not seen since 1976, longer ago than Dark Chanting Goshawk was found breeding in Morocco. Whilst the species is certainly extinct at known sites, it may not be at unknown ones.
I am therefore appealing to all birders not for information on recent sites, as this is well-worn on the forum, but for information on what is known of breeding biology in Morocco (NOT southern African countries where the nesting timing is very different). Given the species' propensity for being very vocal prior to nesting, I would like to know when the last known pairs in Morocco displayed, nested and raised young. This would help enormously with refinding any remaining pairs. Clearly, the best time for an informed but speculative search would be prior to egg-laying when display peaks. Literature has this time as anywhere from September to March, my instinct is late winter, around Jan and Feb, but I would love to hear from 'older' birders and Moroccan experts.
It may seem stupidity to even bother searching for Dark Chanting Goshawk, but if Caspian Tit can be refound there is every chance this is not yet off the cards in areas outside of the reach of agriculture.
Ben Macdonald
www.ben-macdonald.co.uk