Mushrif National Park

25°13'25''N + 055°27'08''E

Mushrif National Park is a large protected park with indigenous woodland located 5 km east of Dubai Airport.

It is called Mushrif National Park on page 20 in the Shell Birdwatching Guide.

Mushrif National Park is open every day 08:00 - 22:30, and it gets very busy during Thursday-Friday and public holidays after 11:00. There is an entry fee of AED 10.00 per vehicle.

This is the best example of indigenous Ghaf Prosopis cinerea woodland in the area and can be quite an interesting place to bird for a few hours in winter, as well as to look for the Striated Scops Owl after dark throughout the year.

Grey Francolin, Eurasian Collared Dove  and White-cheeked Bulbul are abundant residents, and with a bit of luck Arabian Babbler, another resident bird can be seen. Yellow-throated Sparrows breed from April onwards and are regularly seen behind the swimming pool. Another summer breeder is Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin and favour the bushy, thicker places.

The star attraction is without a doubt the resident pairs of Striated Scops Owl found near the mosque. This park has provided numerous visiting birders with excellent views over the past 15+ years. The owls frequently perfoms well and often come down on to the grass to feed under the glare of floodlights located on top of surrounding buildings. They can be remarkably confiding, but bring a strong flashlight in case they remain in the trees. They can be heard calling after dusk, often inside the closed and fenced-in area. As several disappointed birders can attest to; the owls can at times be impossible to find.

Between late October and March the 'Eastern' Black Redstart (looking very much like a Common Redstart) is common, and you should find quite a few Sylvia warblers too, including Desert Whitethroat and Menetries's Warbler, possibly also Eastern Orphean Warbler.

UAE 'rarities' with one or more records include Crested Honey Buzzard (might winter here regularly), European Honey Buzzard, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher and Masked Shrike.