The present work was conducted in 2005 8 2006 sunflower seasons at the
farm of Sakha Agricultural Research Station (Katr El-Sheikh Governorate) which
occupies the northern pari of Delta. Bird damage was assessed once every five deys
just after sunflower anthesis until harvest. Damage chronology due to birds was
similar in both seasons1 concentrating within the first 25 days after anthesis when the
seeds were in the dough stage of development and amounted 75% of all damage.
However, bird accumulated damage was quite low (25%) during 20 days before
harvest. Peak bird damage occurred 15 days after anthesis. Type of damage in
periphery and interior plots in two seasons was similar. Bird monitoring using
binocular revealed that the house sparrow, Passer domesticus niloticus L. dominated
the crested lark, Galedda cristata L, with 87% and 13%. respectively. In both
seasons, 70% of damage occurred on sunflower heads with green and green-yellow
bowls, and 84% occurred when heads were halt-inverted.