Riyadh: The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve hosts more than 290 species of birds, with 88% being migratory and 12% resident. These birds collectively represent 58% of all bird species recorded in Saudi Arabia, with 26 species listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
According to Saudi Press Agency, monitoring and conservation programs within the reserve focus on protecting these species and their habitats. The figures underscore the reserve’s role as a refuge for both resident and migratory birds and highlight how its diverse habitats support biodiversity.
Spanning 130,700 square kilometers across the Northern Borders, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, and Hail regions, the reserve serves as one of the Kingdom’s primary stopover points for migratory birds. It is the first stop in Saudi Arabia during the autumn migration from Asia and Europe, and the Kingdom’s last stop for birds leaving Africa during the spring migration.
With its balanced ecosystem and varied terrain, the reserve provides refuge for several notable species, including the steppe eagle, eastern imperial eagle, and houbara.