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Summary

     A baseline survey of birds occurring within the Wadi Rum Protected Area was carried out between 19 February and 2 May 1999 – a total of 45.5 days of fieldwork. The survey technique used was based on the 1988-1991 UK Breeding Bird Atlas project with the site being divided into 149, 2 km x 2 km squares, based on the UTM grid. Ninety of the squares were surveyed giving 60% coverage of the site. Two one hour visits were made to each survey square during which all birds seen or heard were recorded and counted. Casual and opportunistic observations were made in a further 49 squares giving records from 93% of the site.

      A total of 119 species of bird was recorded of which 34  were breeding or holding territory and 85 were passage migrants or winter visitors. Two new breeding species for the area were found – great grey shrike and hoopoe lark – and 25 migrant species were recorded for the first time. A total of 1,836 pairs/territory holding males was recorded during the survey giving an estimated total population of 1,800 to 3,118 breeding territories for the Protected Area as a whole. Observations were also made of raptor migration over the site which show that Wadi Rum is a major flyway in the spring, with a minimum of 4,647 raptors of 19 species counted.

      Distribution and abundance maps were produced for the majority of species and these highlight the most important areas for breeding and migrant birds, though breeding bird distribution appears to be comparatively uniform across the site. In broad terms, jebels and the rocky margins of wadis appear to support the greatest variety of breeding species whilst stands of Retama are most important for migrants. Therefore in terms of practical conservation action, apart from protecting stands of Retama from excessive grazing or cutting, habitat and visitor management should aim to reduce disturbance and habitat deterioration across the whole site as this would benefit a wide range of species.

      Breeding raptor and gamebird populations appear to be lower than expected and human interference, both direct (hunting) and indirect (disturbance) are thought to be responsible. Future management should aim to reduce these activities.

      Jordanian counterparts were trained in bird identification and the survey technique used in this project.

                Seven recommendations for future survey work are presented – additional baseline surveys of owls, nightjars and sooty falcon, wintering species, raptor migration and autumn migration; and more detailed research into breeding bird success (productivity), breeding bird densities and a repeat of the current survey in 3 to 5 years time.

Summary	Introduction	Objectives	Methods
Results	Discussion	Recommendations	Appendices