During a previous expedition to search for the Spider-tailed Horned Viper (scientific name: Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) in the deserts of Iran, I had the privilege of observing the Iraq Babbler (scientific name: Argya altirostris).
As we concluded our morning session and began to move by car for a lunch break, it suddenly appeared perched on a small stream about 20 meters ahead. I quickly leaned out of the car to capture the moment. Though taken aback by the fleeting encounter, upon reviewing the photos, I confirmed it was indeed this species.
Formerly classified under the genus Turdoides, the Iraq Babbler was reassigned to the resurrected genus Argya following a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study in 2018.
Given their habitat primarily in Syria and Iraq, encountering such a rare creature was both challenging and immensely rewarding.
