Whilst birding the Tanoumah and An Namas area of the Asir Mountains I saw plenty of Arabian Wheatears at many different sites. The Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoidesis a rather uncommon resident of the south-west highlands, but is also found in Oman, Palestine and Yemen, mainly in rocky, bushy sites. It is widespread on the Jebal Souda plateau, Raydah Escarpment, Wadi Talea’a and Tanoumah as well as the Taif area. Birds are often associated with gardens and regularly breeds near human sites where they nest in holes in terrace walls and feed largely on insects.
