Chott el Djerid Tunisia
This area is now a popular birding destination as it is one of the most accessible places in North Africa to see many desert and semi-desert species. The salt lake where Greater Flamingo and Ruddy Shelduck have bred is sometimes completely dry and birdless, however, there is an oasis at Tozeur in the north-west of the area where birds such as Laughing Dove and House Bunting can be found and there are similar birds around Douz to the south-east. Like similar habitats elsewhere this desert area is rich in wheatears - Red-rumped Wheatear, Black Wheatear, White-tailed Wheatear, [[Desert Wheatear and Mourning Wheatear and larks - Desert Lark, Bar-tailed Lark Desert Lark, Hoopoe Lark, Crested Lark and Thekla Lark. In addition there are Cream-coloured Courser, Fulvous Babbler, Desert Sparrow and Trumpeter Finch. Raptors usually present include Lanner Falcon and Long-legged Buzzard and Houbara Bustard is possible. Brown-necked Raven is common at the Douz refuse tip and Egyptian Nightjar can be seen in the small marsh to the west. Along the Douz-Sabria road are pools with Marbled Duck, also Fulvous Babbler and House Bunting.
The towns of Tozeur and Nefta on the western edge of Djerid, and Douz in the south-east can provide accommodation and can be reached by road from the coast. These oases can be reached by bus but a good deal of travelling may be needed to see all the desert birds in this area and a hire-car is recommended.
Birds
Birds you can see here include:
Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Marbled Duck, Long-legged Buzzard, Lanner Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Barbary Falcon, Houbara Bustard, Stone Curlew, Cream-coloured Courser, Spotted Sandgrouse, Laughing Dove, Egyptian Nightjar, Little Swift, Bar-tailed Desert Lark, Desert Lark, Hoopoe Lark, Crested Lark, Thekla Lark, Moussier's Redstart, Desert Wheatear, Red-rumped Wheatear, Mourning Wheatear, White-crowned Black Wheatear, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Fan-tailed Warbler, Scrub Warbler, Western Olivaceous Warbler, Marmora's Warbler, Tristram's Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Desert Warbler, Fulvous Babbler, Brown-necked Raven, Northern Raven, Fan-tailed Raven, Spotless Starling, Spanish Sparrow, Desert Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Trumpeter Finch, House Bunting
Content and images originally posted by Steve