Flamingo migration in Qatar

Every year during the winter season, hundreds of flamingos flock to Qatar’s shores on their annual migration from Europe and Siberia to Africa. From November to April, you can catch a glimpse of the Greater flamingo, the largest living species in the flamingo family, averaging 110–150 cm tall and weighing 2–4 kg, at various spots along Qatar’s 563-kilometre coastline.

In recent years, ornithologists have discovered that the Al Thakira Mangrove Forest, one of Qatar’s natural wonders, is a favorite resting spot for these elegant birds.  In these wetlands, they are able to wade in shallow, salty waters, and can easily feed on fish and other crustaceans. Approximately 50 kilometers north of Doha, near the city of Al Khor, Al Thakira is one of Qatar's oldest and largest mangroves reserves, rich in biodiversity and a green oasis in an otherwise desert area.

The dense mangroves at Al Thakira offer a protected environment for wildlife and are an ideal spot for nature lovers. One of the few trees that can grow and thrive in the high levels of salinity that characterise the Arabian Gulf, Qatar’s mangroves are teeming with life, attracting fish and crabs, birds and other migratory birds including gulls, cormorants and waders, geese, mallard and teal.