TEHRAN –With the beginning of the cold season, aquatic and waterside birds have started wintering in the wetlands of Lorestan province, southwest of the country.

Birds started their winter migration from northern to southern regions, landing in different wetlands and reservoirs on their route, IRNA quoted Kamran Farmanpour, an official with the provincial department of environment, as saying.

Each year, species such as cormorants, gray herons, great white herons, little egrets, white storks, black storks, cattle egrets, black-winged stilt, red-wattled lapwing, flamingos, Eurasian wigeon, gadwall, mallard, khotkas, pochard, teal, red-crested pochard, ferruginous duck, tufted duck, and garganey fly here to spend the winter, the official added.

With more than 18 main sites including wetlands, reservoirs, ponds, and rivers, Lorestan province serves as one of the most important, richest, and safest migratory habitats in the country. 

Thanks to its favorable climatic conditions, Lorestan province is home to 250 species of birds, 30 percent of the country’s biodiversity. 

According to the studies and conducted census over the past years, around 70 to 80 species of migratory birds have been so far observed in the wetlands of the province. Last year, 12,000 birds migrated to the province.

To ensure the safety of these birds, water resources are consistently monitored, Kamranpour noted.

Important stopover for migratory 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.

He made the remarks on the occasion of World Migratory Bird Day which is celebrated on May 11 to raise awareness about the importance of migratory birds and the need to protect them.

A diverse array of migratory birds fly to the country, with more than 160 species of aqua 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.

MT/MG