Besides our twice annual Arabian endemics tours, Saudi Birding offers custom bird tours throughout the year. These are geared towards finding our guests’ particular target species while accommodating other interests and personal preferences. As a guide, I’m always excited to lead a custom tour as they often take us a little more off the beaten path.

Guest blog by Fraser Bell from Birding Ecotours about our highly successful birding tour in Oman featuring Arabian endemics, diverse habitats, and memorable wildlife encounters throughout the country.

The Mourning and Arabian Wheatears present one of Arabia’s most challenging ID problems. Subtle plumage differences, overlapping ranges, and shifting taxonomy mean misidentifications have been common, especially in southern Oman and southwest Saudi Arabia. This guide highlights key field marks, habitat preferences, and behavior to help birders separate the two and contribute valuable records to clarify their true status.

Saudi Arabia is the only country on the Arabian Peninsula where you can see all of the Arabian endemics—from Philby’s Partridge and Asir Magpie to Arabian Woodpecker and Yemen Serin—plus regional specialties and near-endemics like White-eyed Gull, Arabian Lark, and Arabian Golden Sparrow. Not just deserts, Saudi boasts dramatic mountains, wooded canyons, and productive wetlands. Add warm hospitality and rich culture, and Saudi is the Middle East’s top birding destination.

Answers to common questions regarding visas, safety, transport, accommodation, and cultural expectations for first-time visitors to Saudi Arabia

🌓 Update : Our main August 2027 Saudi Arabia eclipse tour is now fully booked. However, we have two spots available for our second group...

Guest blog by Fraser Bell from Birding Ecotours on the incredible owl species to be found in the Sultanate of Oman.

Tour Dates: April 18 - 26, 2025 Duration: 9 days Species Recorded: 238 Participants: Bert de Bruin, Miguel Demeulemeester, Arthur Geilvoet, Piet Opstaele, Michel Watelet, Graham Woods Leader: Gregory Askew Co-leader: Ibrahim Al Shwamin Avian Highlights: Helmeted Guineafowl Harlequin Quail Arabian Partridge Philby's Partridge Rameron Pigeon Great Spotted Cuckoo Nubian Nightjar Montane Nightjar Plain Nightjar Red-knobbed Coot Greater Painted-Snipe Small Buttonquail Crab-Plover

Tour Dates: February 15 - 28, 2025 Participants: Jonathan Angliss, John Bjorkman, Jeff Hopkins, Wayne Kidder, Cuneyt Ozdal, Bob Tallyn, Robert Tizard Leader: Gregory Askew Co-guides: James Conder and Ibrahim Al Shwamin Southwest Highlights: Harlequin Quail Arabian Partridge Philby's Partridge Rameron Pigeon Dusky Turtle-Dove White-browed Coucal Nubian Nightjar Red-knobbed Coot Small Buttonquail Crab-Plover White-eyed Gull Saunders's Tern Lesser Flamingo Black Stork Abdim's St