Rufous-tailed
Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes is
an uncommon migrant and widespread breeding summer visitor with birds arriving
in March and staying until October. They appear to be most common during the
first week of May, with more than 10 recorded in one day. Birds of the Riyadh
Region by Stagg (1994); mentions the species is a common breeding summer
visitor, widespread throughout the region. Numbers have increased significantly
in recent years in the wake of expanding cultivation. Arrives late March and
departs mid to late September. The species has been seen in the huge desert of
the Empty Quarter with one at Sabkha 40 on two days in suitable breeding
habitat although this individual was more likely to have been a migrant as no
song was heard. Not previously recorded in this part of the Rub al Khali. The
photos below were taken in the garden of Viv Wilson in Tabuk and he has kindly
given me permission to use them on my website.
