Birding an Ancient Land Socotra
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IF YOU MENTIon you’re goING TO SOCOTRA, most people look puzzled, because they’ve never heard of the place. But the knowledgeable few get a faraway look, tinged with more than a little jealousy. Dubbed the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, Socotra is home to a unique fauna and flora, coupled with stunning scenery and a fascinating cultural history stretching back more than 2 000 years. For birders, the island supports at least six endemic landbirds as well as abundant seabirds. Until recently, the island was effectively off limits, but fortunately this has now changed. Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan report. birding an Ancient Land SOCOTRA Hadiboh lagoon offers good wetland birding TexT by Ian SInclaIr & PeTer ryan • PhoTograPhS by PeTer ryan in the island’s capital, with the Hagghier Mountains in the background. 60 SOCOTRA AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007 SOCOTRA 61 SAUDI ARABIA OMAN the archipelago. Much of the island is still semi-desert, but there are numerous springs, lush wadis and coastal wetlands. All but one of the endemic landbirds are confined to the main island of Socotra, with only the Socotra Sparrow occurring YEMEN on the other islands. Few mammals are native to the archi- Sana’a pelago: an endemic shrew and four ARABIAN SEA species of bats. As a result, Socotra has the feel of an oceanic island – one that has not been connected to a continental SOCOTRA mainland. But this is misleading, because Hadiboh Qalansiya the island is an ancient fragment of con- ABDELKURI tinental landmass, with the oldest rocks GULF OF ADEN SAMHA DARSA in its Hagghier Mountains dating back Cape Guardafui more than 650 million years. Socotra broke off from Africa as a result of block SOMALIA faulting some 36 million years ago, dur- ing the rifting as Africa and Arabia split apart, forming the Red Sea and the Gulf lthough part of Yemen, Socotra of Aden. Geologically, Socotra bears a lies just off the eastern coast of close resemblance to the Dhofar Region Somalia. It is an archipelago of of western Oman, but its long isolation four islands, with the western- has resulted in the evolution of many most,A Abdelkuri, less than 100 kilometres endemic plants and animals. from Cape Guardafui, the tip of the Horn At first glance, the most distinctive of Africa. The main island of Socotra is aspect of the island’s biota is its vegeta- by far the largest and most diverse. It is tion. Twisted and bloated desert rose 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres Adenium obesum and cucumber trees than 800 species of flowering plants, of Below The Socotra Bunting is the rarest wide, and rises more than 1 500 metres Dendrosicyos socotrana characterise the which 300 are found nowhere else. High At first glance, the most of the endemic landbirds, confined to the above sea level at its highest point. lower slopes, while the highlands are levels of endemism also occur among the distinctive aspect of the island’s biota is its vegetation ... highest mountains. This elevation is important, as the high dominated by imposing dragon’s blood island’s invertebrates and reptiles. Of the peaks create orographic cloud during the trees Dracaena cinnabari, which resemble more than 600 insects discovered to date, the highlands are dominated by imposing dragon’s blood Below, right An enigmatic, group-living summer monsoon, resulting in Socotra a kokerboom Aloe dichotoma on steroids. over 200 occur nowhere else, and nearly species, the Socotra Warbler is probably receiving appreciably more precipitation These are just the larger, more conspicu- all of the 27 terrestrial reptiles are also trees, which resemble a kokerboom on steroids allied to the cisticolas. than the other, lower-lying islands in ous elements of a flora comprising more endemic. Most reptile species are geckos, but there are several species of snake, else, although Arabic is widely spoken, Dragon’s blood trees are the plant icon and a chameleon. Historic accounts of and it is not unusual to hear Kiswahili of the islands. They are found only in the the islands by the ancient Greeks report in the coastal villages, thanks to the wetter highlands of Socotra. crocodiles and large lizards, whose flesh many Africans who came to the island was eaten and the fat used as a substitute after the 1870s, when Socotra became a for olive oil. Sadly, no evidence remains British protectorate. of these more exotic species. When southern Yemen became a Socotra has a long history of human socialist state in 1967, the British were exploitation. The island has been in- replaced by Russians, and it was only habited for at least 2 000 years, having with the fall of communism in 1990 that been colonised by people from Arabia, Socotra once again became accessible to Africa and India. Early visitors were western visitors. Tourism to the island drawn by the abundance of frankin- received a major boost in 1999, when a cense and myrrh, as well as aloes and modern airstrip was constructed, allow- the blood-red sap of the dragon’s blood ing commercial flights to the island. trees. Currently, the human population (some 70 000) is concentrated in the early 200 bird species have capital, Hadiboh, as well as the former been recorded from Socotra, capital, Qalansiya, but many people but only 40 breed on the still live in the countryside under quite island, of which 10 are sea- primitive conditions. The native sem itic Nbirds. Socotra is the easternmost island language, Socotri, is spoken nowhere in the archipelago, lying more than 62 SOCOTRA AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING FEBRUARY/MARCH 2008 SOCOTRA 63 On arrival, the first bird you encounter is the Egyptian Vulture, which is common even at the airport. Unlike most populations elsewhere, [they] thrive on Socotra, with more than 1 000 pairs breeding in cavities on the island’s many cliffs 200 kilometres off the African coast Palearctic species that are likely to Left The Levada do Caldeirão Verde in the and nearly 400 kilometres south of the attract less attention than the seabirds. north-eastern part of Madeira provides Arabian Peninsula. Its isolation results Typically, tropical waters are too strati- spectacular views of the laurel forest. in few migrant landbirds visiting the fied to allow much productivity, result- island, other than Desert Wheatears, ing in low densities of seabirds and other Below a skjdh aksjdh akjshd kajhs dk- which overwinter here in large num- top predators. However, around Socotra, jahsd kjahsdkjhaskdj ha skjdha ksjhdkaj bers, together with smaller numbers of the seasonal monsoons drive consider- hsdkjahskdjhaksjdhakjshdkajhsdkjhasdk Isabelline and Pied wheatears. Many able vertical mixing and upwelling, pro- other species are accidental visitors, moting a rich marine ecosystem. Large and regular observation is bound schools of tuna and other game fish are to continue to increase the island’s abundant, forcing smaller fish to the sur- birdlist. For African birders, part of the face, where they are eagerly consumed attraction is the chance to see vagrants by remarkably large numbers of seabirds. from Asia, such as Indian Pond-Heron, Ironically, the persistence of game fish is Yellow Bittern, Cotton Teal, Pintail in part due to the threat of piracy from Snipe, Pheasant-tailed Jacana and Somalia, which keeps vessels from Spain Indian Roller. and other major fishing nations out of these waters. lthough pride of place goes Closer inshore, coral reefs surround to the endemic birds, these much of the Socotran coastline. Despite are not immediately appar- a fair amount of artisanal fishing, most ent. On arrival, the first bird of the reefs are in excellent condition, youA encounter is the Egyptian Vulture, supporting a dazzling array of fish, with which is common even at the airport. influences from both the Red Sea and Unlike most populations elsewhere, the Indo-Pacific. Egyptian Vultures thrive on Socotra, Socotra Cormorants can be seen fly- with more than 1 000 pairs breeding in ing out at sea in skeins, like large, rangy cavities on the island’s many cliffs. It is Cape Cormorants. They often roost on affectionately known as the ‘municipal cliffs and offshore rocks, and recently bird’, because it cleans up much of the have been discovered breeding at sev- organic waste, and the largest concen- eral sites. Brown Boobies also fly close trations are found around settled areas. inshore, while Masked Boobies and Each morning, hundreds glide down to Red-billed Tropicbirds tend to remain Hadiboh from the cliffs inland to spend further offshore. All three species breed their day foraging among the houses or at remote sites in the archipelago. along the beaches. A few even follow Persian Shearwaters and the enigmat- fishing boats to join the gulls scaveng- ic Jouanin’s Petrel also breed on the ing offal thrown overboard. In town, island’s cliffs, but only come ashore at they compete with the ever-present night. To really get to grips with these goats, and will even take scraps from species, it’s best to hire a boat and head FINDINGS AS OF JANUARY 2006 Top The Socotra or Island Cisticola closely your hand. a few kilometres offshore, where both • Meyer’s Parrots track resources based on a food’s abundance and nutritional value, and competi- resembles the widespread Zitting Cisticola, Seabirds and shorebirds are equally are quite common. tion with other frugivores. This is achieved by targeting seeds from unripe fruits and leguminous but lacks that species’ distinctive bottle- abundant, and are easily observed along pods, thereby minimising competition with other frugivores (including birds and primates). shaped nest. the island’s coast and at the many coast- he Socotra Sparrow is the • They can deal with the extremely hard nut cases of both the marula Sclerocarya birrea and real al wetlands.