Syria is a very interesting new destination for birdwatchers, which contains some little known and otherwise almost unreachable species, such as Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris, White-cheeked Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys, Chinese Shrike Lanius (isabellinus) arenarius and the last remnant of the eastern sub-population of Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita. These four bird species, just only recently discovered and re-discovered, together with an impressive number of first records recently submitted for scrutiny - following recent birding trips, expeditions etc. -, evidence that this country has a high potential for Western Palearctic surprises. And so much has still to be discovered!
According to Hofland and Saveyn (in prep.) "[…] The country has much more to offer, such as a desertic avifauna that almost equals the one of much-visited Israel and Egypt (including gems like Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni and Thick-billed Lark Ramphocoris clotbey); a riverine habitat that hosts large amounts of wintering waterfowl including internationally important numbers of Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga; a great potential for enjoying large amounts of migrant songbirds, because of its empty southeastern desert with but a few oases; a number of good (Western Palearctic) birds that until now had only been known from few other Western Palearctic countries (such as Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus, Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida, Scrub Warbler Scotocerca i. inquieta, Chestnut-shouldered (Yellow-throated) Sparrow Gymornis xanthocollis and Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus) and the potential to equal Israeli soaring bird numbers during migration, over the western mountains.". It is recommended to refer to this paper (which is due to be published on Dutch Birding early in 2005) for very detailed and up-to-date information on birding in Syria.