Building national capacity for waterbird monitoring is a cornerstone of Nature Conservation Egypt’s (NCE) conservation strategy. Recognizing the importance of developing a new generation of skilled bird surveyors and wetland conservation practitioners, NCE has been organizing specialized training programmes on waterbird identification and survey techniques in collaboration with conservation partners and academic institutions.

Over the past two years, NCE, in partnership with Sobek Planet and with support from the Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME), has delivered practical training courses at the Aswan Reservoir Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). The programme attracted a diverse audience, including university students, birdwatchers, photographers, protected area staff, tour operators, and early-career conservationists. The exceptional diversity of waterbirds present in the area provided an ideal outdoor classroom, allowing participants to develop field identification skills while gaining first-hand experience in bird monitoring and ecological survey methods.

In 2025–2026, the programme was further expanded as part of the National Winter Waterbird Census Project implemented by NCE in collaboration with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) and the Nature Conservation Sector. The training was designed to strengthen the capacity of protected area staff, researchers, and field surveyors involved in the national monitoring programme and to promote the adoption of standardized survey methodologies across Egypt’s wetlands.

The training combined both theoretical and practical components, covering waterbird identification, wetland ecology, habitat classification, survey design, census methodologies, Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), survey zone mapping, data collection and management, and the identification of key threats affecting wetlands and waterbird populations. Participants also received intensive field-based instruction, applying survey techniques directly within wetland habitats and gaining hands-on experience in counting and identifying waterbirds under real monitoring conditions.

A strong emphasis was placed on practical learning and scientific rigor. Participants worked through field exercises, species identification challenges, habitat assessments, and survey planning activities, enabling them to connect classroom knowledge with real-world conservation applications. The programme also introduced participants to the standards and methodologies used within international monitoring initiatives such as the International Waterbird Census (IWC).

By combining expert instruction, field-based learning, and direct participation in national monitoring efforts, the programme contributes to building a stronger network of skilled waterbird specialists capable of supporting long-term wetland conservation and biodiversity monitoring across Egypt.