First confirmed record of Calidris melanotos (Vieillot, 1819), Pectoral Sandpiper (Charadriiformes, Scolopacidae), at King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, Saudi Arabia

As part of regular bird surveys across various biotopes within the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve (KARR), including natural and artificial wetlands, two individuals of Calidris melanotos (Vieillot, 1819) were recorded for the first time in Umm Al Thiyabah, a natural wetland in central Saudi Arabia. This record marks the first confirmed occurrence of this species in any national nature reserve in the country, and only the third nationally, following previous reports from Qatif and Abqaiq. The species is rare vagrant in Saudi Arabia.