 Cairo and Proximity
Wadi El Natrun
Located on the fringe of the Nile Valley, the cultivated desert depression is only 1 1/2 hours drive north of Cairo. Wadi El Naturn lakes are home to Kittlitz’s Sandplover and are frequented by migrant and wintering waterbirds. A variety of resident and migrant birds is attracted to the farmlands, with Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Rufous Bushchat common summer breeding visitors. You may combine birding with visits to the area’s famous Coptic Monasteries.
Cairo
Cairo makes a good base from which to make day trips to outlying areas. Such birds as Pallid Swift, Yellow-billed Kite and Egyptian Swallow can be seen soaring above the city, while Hoopoe and Common Bulbul can be found in the gardens below. You may visit several birding sites in town.
The Sphinx and Pyramids are a good place to encounter desert birds like Desert Eagle Owl, as well as Red-tailed Wheatear and Blue Rock Thrush in winter. The farmlands here are good sites to see resident specialties such as Senegal Thick-knee, Little Green Bee-eater, Southern Grey Shrike and Egyptian Yellow Wagtail.
El Fayoum
One of Egypt’s best birding sites is Lake Qarun Protected Area. A diversity of water birds can be observed at the lake year round. In winters you may encounter Slender-billed Gull breeds at Qarun and Great Black-headed Gull here. And the elusive, Painted Snipe occurs at the fish farms and other wetlands around the lakeshore. There are cultivated lands around the lake that are a good site to see birds characteristic of Egyptian farmlands, such as Spur-winged Plover, Graceful Warbler and Senegal Coucal along with migrants and winter visitors.
Another wetland where waterbirds can be found in an attractive desert setting is Wadi El Rayan Protected Area (around a 45 minute drive from Qarun).
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