TEHRAN – Despite being a relatively small island, stretching for 90 square kilometers, the Persian Gulf island of Kish is home to 230 bird species, accounting for a third of the country's birds.

Thanks to favorable weather in the south of Iran during the cold season, flocks of migratory birds from cold and northern regions, such as Siberia, flew to the island for wintering. In addition to waterside birds, migratory raptors or birds of prey are spotted on the island, increasing the diversity and population of the birds. This feature has turned the island into one of the unique spots for the development of birdwatching tourism in the country, IRIB quoted Maryam Mohammadi, head of the provincial Department of Environment (DOE) in Kish, as saying.

Birds of prey such as falcons, honey buzzards, waterfowl birds like cormorants, flamingos, sandpipers, and curlews are among the prominent bird species in the island, she noted.

The official noted that marine debris, and the food that some people throw on the beach or in the water for the animals, are among the most important threats to birds. They often mistake plastic pieces for food, which kill them.

Habitat destruction, including damaging coastal bushes, lighting fires, or removing vegetation, is another serious threat to birds, the official added.

The provincial DOE, in cooperation with investors, is restoring a bird habitat in the north-west of the island with the aim of increasing the number of birds and their biodiversity. The DOE has also developed a book titled ‘Kish birds’ for the tourists and those interested in birds to get familiar with these species, Mohammadi further noted.

Iran, an 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.

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.

MT/MG