KUWAIT CITY, Jan 24: The Bird Monitoring and Protection Team at the Kuwait Environment Protection Society (KEPS) announced on Saturday that Kuwait’s bird list has grown to 424 species following the documentation of five new species in 2025.

Team leader Mohammad Shah said the announcement came after the group’s final field visit to the Al-Abraq area in northwest Kuwait, which aimed to finalize the annual report and review the latest observations, including new species and their numbers.

During the visit, the team recorded 24 bird species, most of them winter visitors, including the European Robin and the Song Thrush. Other wildlife observed included the Barn Owl and the Sand Cat, which were documented in their natural habitat.

Shah highlighted the return of species not seen for long periods. The Greater White-fronted Goose was spotted in November by team members Mohammad Al-Hudaina and Talal Al-Muwaizri, marking a rare sighting. Monitoring efforts also recorded Eversmann's Redstart four times across locations, including Al-Abraq, Al-Mutlaa, and Al-Julaia, after a five-year absence. Shah noted this species is considered rarely recorded in Kuwait.

He added that the Common Red-shouldered Goose was observed four times late last year across various locations, also returning after a five-year gap. The species has been recorded only 16 times in Kuwait since 1970, making it particularly rare.

Shah said all data collected during the field visits were submitted to research lists on the global eBird platform in preparation for the release of Kuwait’s 2025 annual bird monitoring report.