UAE Constructs First Artificial Nest for Birds of Prey in Sharjah

Sharjah : The Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA) has embarked on an innovative project to create artificial nests for ospreys, aimed at preserving wildlife and biodiversity. This global initiative, involving experts and environmentalists, seeks to gather extensive data to aid environmental decision-making.

The inaugural artificial nest was established at the Sir Bu Nair Island Reserve, with plans to install additional nests in coastal areas throughout Sharjah, including various nature reserves. These nests provide a safe and suitable environment for ospreys, particularly during their mating season from December to March. Surveillance cameras connect to each nest, thereby allowing detailed monitoring and tracking of osprey numbers, flight patterns, movements, behavior, and diet. Furthermore, the Osprey Watch initiative has registered this project, making it the first such nest in the UAE to join the platform, which collects global data to support environmental decisions.

Remarkably, an adult osprey weighs around 1.4 kg and often returns to the same nest for successive breeding seasons.

Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, chairperson of the EPAA in Sharjah, emphasized the protection of ospreys under Executive Council Decision No. (9) of 2016, which prohibits the hunting, selling, and possession of endangered migratory land and sea birds in Sharjah.

She highlighted, “The osprey is one of the endangered birds of prey in the UAE, known for its exceptional fishing skills, its primary food source. Therefore, the EPAA initiated this project to create artificial nests, providing safe nesting sites away from potential threats and disturbances along the shorelines frequented by the public.”

Al Suwaidi further explained, “The project aims to establish fixed, well-prepared artificial nests for the osprey in its natural habitats and feeding areas in Sharjah, particularly on the islands and coastal regions that serve as natural sanctuaries.”