Pääsivulle
To Main Page
Till Startsidan

CASPIAN SEA

BIRD WATCHING IN AZERBAIJAN

with Chairman of Azerbaijan Ornithological Society
 
Mr. Elchin Sultanov.

Azerbaijan have second place in Europe by the number of wintering waterbirds. More 20 million birds are resting here during spring and autumn migration. On his little territory (approximately as two Netherlands) Azerbaijan have 9 types of landscapes from alpic meadows in mountains to semi-desert on Kura and Araz rivers valley where all big wetlands occur. In total 12 Globally Threatened species and 125 with European Conservation status occur here. 36 from their are included in Red Data Book of Azerbaijan.

Bird watching in Azerbaijan is interesting all year because nesting birds of Russia, Kazakhstan and even Fennoscandia are wintering here and many wintering birds of East Africa and South-West Asia are breeding here. For Azerbaijan characteristics small distances between places of concentration of birds, big mixed breeding colonies of herons, ibises and cormorants which can include to 12-13 species, giant breeding colonies of terns and gulls with thousands and tens thousands birds. In winter we have here giant concentrations of waterfowls from 10 000 to 500 000 (!) birds.

Following list include only part of birds which are interest for watching and occur in Azerbaijan in different seasons:

Species

Conservation status

Wintering Migration

Season of occurrence
Breeding
(+) yes
(-) no
Endangered
Globally threatened
+ (yes)
- (no)
+ (yes)
- (no)

1. Pelicanus onocrotalus (-)

E

+

+

2.P. crispus (+)

G

+

+

3. Phalacrocorax pygmaeus (+)

E

+

+

4. Nycticorax nyctycorax (+)

E

-

+

5. Ardeola ralloides (+)

E

-

+

6. Ardea purpurea (+)

E

-

+

7. Plegadis falcinellus (+)

E

-

+

8. Platalea leucorodia (+)

E

-

+

9. Phoenicopterus ruber (+)

E

+

+

10. Anser erythropus (-)

G

+

+

11. Cygnus bewickii (-)

E

+

+

12. Tadorna ferruginea (+)

E

+

+

13. Marmaronetta angustirostris (+)

G

+

+

14. Netta rufina (+)

E

+

+

15. Aythya nyroca (+)

G

+

+

16. Oxyura leucocephala (-)

G

+

+

Predators

17. Haliaetus albicilla (+)

E

+

+

18. Buteo rufinus (+)

E

+

+

19. Aquila rapax (-)

E

-

+

20. Aquila heliaca (+)

G

+

+

20. Neophron percnopterus (+)

E

-

+

21. Aegypius monachus (+)

E

+

+

22. Falco naumanni (+)

G

-

+

Other birds

23. Francolinus francolinus (+)

E

+

+

24. Porphyrio porphyrio (+)

E

+

+

25. Otis tetrax (-)

E

+

+

26. Vanellus gregaria (+)

G

+

+

27. Vanellus leucura (+)

Red Book of Azerb.

+

+

28. Glareola pratincola (+)

E

-

+

29. Chlidonias hybrida (+)

E

-

+

30. Coracius garrulus (+)

E

-

+

31. Alcedo attis (+)

E

+

-

32. Merops apiaster (+)

E

-

+

33. Merops supercilliosus (+)

-

-

+

Approximate costs in Azerbaijan:

Accommodation in Baku ( hotel ***, 1 night) 40 - 50 $US
Rent of car or boat (1 day) 50 - 150 $US
Food (1 person/day) 10 $US
Guide (professional ornithologist, 1 day) 60 $US

 
 
< kahanpaa@math.jyu.fi> updated 20.2.2004