A juvenile White-tailed eagle was spotted at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, marking Saudi Arabia’s first sighting in 20 years. White-tailed eagle Saudi sighting.
RIYADH: Conservationists have confirmed a historic sighting of a juvenile White-tailed eagle at the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, marking the first official documentation of this rare bird species in Saudi Arabia in over two decades. The eagle was observed and photographed at Wadi Thalbah Wetland, a protected marshland within the Reserve, by Biodiversity Monitoring and Research Manager Ali AlFaqih.
The rare encounter signals a growing environmental success story. The Reserve, which spans 24,500 km² of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, is emerging as a vital refuge for migratory bird species. The return of the White-tailed eagle—a species native to the northern hemisphere—is being hailed as a sign of successful habitat restoration under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 environmental goals.
“I could hardly believe my eyes,” said AlFaqih. “Observing a rare bird in the Reserve tells me we are improving habitat quality and offering safe stopovers for migratory birds on their long journeys.”
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve now hosts more than 50% of all recorded species in the Kingdom and is home to 15 unique ecosystems. Since 2021, it has carried out six extensive biodiversity studies in collaboration with local and international researchers. These surveys have so far recorded 247 bird species within the Reserve, including seven new global range extensions—highlighting the Reserve’s role as a biodiversity hotspot.
The presence of the White-tailed eagle, a species not typically seen this far south, showcases the importance of consistent migratory bird monitoring and habitat protection. This data not only shapes the Reserve’s ongoing conservation policies but also contributes to Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to preserve 30% of its land and marine territories by 2030.
The eagle’s sighting serves as both a biological milestone and a symbolic moment for the Kingdom’s evolving ecological landscape.
