TEHRAN--The presence of seabirds such as gulls in Cheshmeh-Kileh River in Tonekabon, Mazandaran province, gives this city a special look during falls and winters. It has good potentials for birdwatching tourism. Many tourists who encounter this beautiful scene take photographs and record beautiful images of them.

A Tonekaboni citizen told IRNA that this capacity, which is less visible in other neighboring cities, should be used in form of tourist and sightseeing tours, and the presence of these birds should be considered a good omen.

This citizen stated that media advertising is very effective in introducing these capabilities to compatriots in other provinces and abroad, and emphasized that this capacity should be introduced by holding local and indigenous festivals along the Cheshmeh-Kileh River and inviting the news agencies to cover it in the media.

Experts believe that birdwatching is a growing activity in wildlife tourism, and more people are becoming interested in this branch of tourism every day. This field has countless fans and applicants in different parts of the world, and hundreds of thousands of professional birdwatchers earn huge income through this type of tourism or tourism in countries that host birds from all over the world with their diverse climates.

Ali Aminian, an environmental expert, pointed to the high income of birdwatching tourism in other countries, adding that the income of birdwatching tourism is much higher than hunting, and European countries have realized this fact and have made efforts to expand this industry.

He noted that the number of birdwatching fans in a country like England is so high that some believe that there are more birdwatching fans in this country than football fans.

According to this environmental and wildlife expert, strengthening the infrastructure along with training to improve the knowledge of tour guides can attract many tourists to the country to see the native and migratory birds.

Stating that there are about 600 bird sites in the country, he said: “Of these, only 105 habitats that are most important have been internationally registered, and most migratory birds that come for wintering reside in these habitats.”

Aminian said that 535 bird species have been sighted in Iran, adding that this number constitutes about one-third of the birds in the world, which migrate to Iran from Siberia and Europe in the autumn and winter seasons and are mostly seen in the northern provinces of the country. About 65 percent of migratory birds are swans, geese, ducks, mergansers, and ospreys, he added.

A major tourist attraction in Mazandaran is birdwatching, and efforts are being made to make this branch of tourism flourish in different areas throughout the province, which welcomes a variety of migratory birds every year, the official added.

This could gradually become an alternative to hunting birds by earning money from their presence.

Birdwatching, the observation of live birds in their natural habitat, is a popular pastime and scientific sport that developed almost entirely in the 20th century.

The northern provinces of Gilan, Golestan, and Mazandaran embrace a variety of freshwater lakes, wetlands, and lagoons, which are the main destinations for traveling pelicans, flamingos, ducks, swans, coots, and some other species.

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