TEHRAN- An online seminar on bird-watching, the first of its kind in Ardebil province, was held in the northwestern Iranian province on Wednesday. 

A group of bird enthusiasts, students, and researchers attended the event, which was organized by the province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department in close collaboration with the Department of Environment, provincial tourism chief Soghra Farshi said on Wednesday. 

The event, which was the first of its kind in Ardebil, was seeking to update the educational background of the participants, the official added. 

So far, 550 bird species have been distinguished and registered across Iran.

Bird-watching, 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 south Caspian Sea retreats are amongst the most famed heavens for birdwatchers in Iran, usually being dominated by its northerly guests until about mid-May when the migration season comes to an end. In a wider scene, the mid-winter population of the migratory birds is estimated to exceed over a million in the whole southern sandy shorelines of the Caspian Sea that spans some 700km.

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.

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardebil is well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble.

The province is very cold in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardebil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter.

ABU/AFM