On our first day in Qatar, a rental car allowed us to visit the main birdwatching areas of the country, connecting with Persian Gulf specialties such as the Asian desert warbler, the sought-after hypocolius and the mighty Pallas’s gull. A full day of driving was enough to visit the main habitats of the country, including desert, oases, freshwater wetlands and mangroves.

On our second day in the country, we focused on the wildlife of Doha and its surroundings and used public transport. A 24-hour metro ticket helped us explore the main sights of the Qatari capital city, surrounded by birds: masked shrike, delicate prinia and a third target, the western reef heron, were found in different spots of downtown Doha.

While the diversity of birds in the Persian Gulf peaks during the migration periods, pleasant temperatures and an attractive array of wintering birds made visiting Qatar in January and February quite interesting. The distances between different habitats and the road and public transport connections in the country helped us find our targets with ease and enjoy our visit.