TEHRAN – The first group of migratory pelicans has been spotted at Solduz Wetland in Naqadeh County, northwestern Iran.
Akbar Qaemi, head of the Naqadeh Department of Environment, said a group of 35 pelicans had arrived at the wetland as part of their seasonal migration from northern areas toward warmer southern regions, IRNA reported.
He noted that the number of migratory pelicans at the wetland is expected to increase in the coming days, adding that most of the birds observed so far are juveniles that were born in Lake Urmia National Park and its surrounding areas and have begun their seasonal migration as temperatures fall.
In addition to migratory pelicans, various species of resident and migratory birds, including sandpipers, stilts, gulls, garganeys, coots, herons, and different species of ducks, are currently being observed at Solduz Wetland.
Naqadeh County is home to seven seasonal and permanent wetlands, which annually provide habitat for more than 10,000 migratory and resident birds.
Iran is the most important country in West Asia in terms of housing migratory birds in winter, as around two million birds fly each year to spend winter in the country’s wetlands, according to an official with the Department of Environment.
Encompassing numerous wetlands, reservoirs, and diverse water bodies, Iran welcomes millions of migratory birds every year. The country has also emerged as the most important stopover for migratory birds in their flight route from Siberia to the Nile, as sixteen percent of them select to spend the winter in the country, ISNA quoted Hassan Akbari as saying.
A diverse array of migratory birds fly to the country, with more than 160 species of aquatic and waterside birds identified in Iran, which is a significant number.
Despite limited water resources in the domestic habitats of the country, the study of the migratory bird population trend shows that the abundance and diversity of the birds that enter the country have not decreased. The majority of them have flown to the coastal areas of the Caspian and the Persian Gulf, though.
Iran hosts more than five percent of the world’s migratory birds in 450 sites in winter, Akbari said.
“Every year, some 30 to 40 million birds are counted all over the world, and the related statistics are recorded in the International Waterfowl Census (IWC) database,” he added.
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