Berkut. Vol. 7. Is. 1-2. 1998. P. 30-31.

 

RESULTS OF GEESE AND SWANS COUNT DURING WINTERING IN AZERBAIJAN IN 1993 AND 1996

 

E. Soultanov, P. Mosley, D. Paynter, T. Aarvak

 

Результаты учета гусей и лебедей на зимовке в Азербайджане в 1993 и 1996 гг. - Э. Султанов, П. Моусли, Д. Пэйнтер, Т. Орвак. - Беркут. 7 (1-2). 1998. - Приводятся результаты вертолетного учета в январе-феврале 1993 г., а также наземных экспедиций в начале декабря 1995 г. и январе-феврале 1996 г. В 1993 г. на основных водоемах Азербайджана и вдоль побережья на зимовке было отмечено 13 151 гуся и 6560 лебедей. По частичным учетам в сезон 1995/1996 гг. можно пред­положить, что численность лебедей была на зимовке по крайней мере вдвое ниже, а гусей — сохранилась на прежнем уровне. Гуси до вида не определялись, видовую принадлежность лебедей в отдельных случаях удавалось определить: в Кы­-зыл-Агачском заповеднике преобладали шипуны, а в большинстве других мест — кликуны. Результаты наземных экспедиций показали, что пискулька по численности даже преобладает над белолобым гусем. В Ширванском заповеднике отмечен на зи­-мовке малый лебедь. Массовый прилет гусей приходится на начало декабря. В Кызыл-Агачском заповеднике в этот период отмечалось от 60 (1996 г.) до 400 (1995 г.) тыс. птиц. Однако после отдыха в течение 5–10 дней большинство гусей про­должают путь на юг. Лебеди прибывают в основном в январе и их численность растет к февралю. Азербайджан является од­ним из важнейших мест зимовки и отдыха на пролете не только массовых, но и таких редких видов как пискулька и малый лебедь.

Key words: Azerbaijan, wintering, geese, swans, globally threatened species.

 

Helicopter counts of birds was carried out with the help of Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences and State Ecology Committee 12–21.01 and 1–12.02. 1993 (Soultanov, Mustafayev, 1994). 2–13.12.1995 bird counts along sea coast from Buzovna to the Ky­zyl-Agach Nature Reserve was conducted by E. Soultanov and P. Mosley. 28.01–13.02.1996 counts were carried out in the Kyzyl-Agach and the Shirvan Nature Reserves, Sarysu and Mahmudchala lakes by E. Soultanov, D. Paynter and T. Aarvak. 27.01 and 1.02.1996 the helicopter count was conducted along the sea coast with the help of Azerbaijan Inter­national Operating Company and Azerbaijan Ornithological Society. The air count occured by the method of E. Soultanov (Soultanov et al., 1993). During land expeditions we used counts from car, boat and on foot by standard methods.

Results are presented in Tables 1 and 2. Comparison of the Tables shows that the helicopter count is as a rule fuller but land expeditions permit to identify species more exactly. The Greylag Goose (Anser anser) prevails at the lake Sarysu. In other places the Lesser White-fronted Goose (A. erythropus) and the White-fronted Goose (A. albifrons) have bigger numbers (see also Paynter et al., 1996). Among swans the Mute (Cygnus olor) and Hooper (C. cygnus) Swans prevail each in different places.

 

Table 1

 

Results of the count of geese and swans from helicopter in 1993 and 1996

Результаты учета гусей и лебедей с вертолета в 1993 и 1996 гг.

 

 

 

Note: As a rule it is impossible to identify the species from helicopter, only for separate birds. For geese it is impossible. In 1996 the main places of geese and swans concentration were not investigated owing to weather conditions.

Примечание: Как правило нельзя определить вид с вертолета, только для отдельных особей. Для гусей — невозможно. В 1996 г. в связи с погодными условиями основные места концентрации гусей и лебедей не были обследованы.

* C. o. — Cygnus olor, C. c. — C. cygnus.

 

Very interesting observations were made in the Shirvan Nature Reserve. The Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus bewickii) was found here. Number of the Lesser White-fronted Goose prevails over the White-fronted Goose in the reserve. In the Kyzyl-Agach Nature Reserve the gigantic concentration of geese was noted early December. We have registered until 400 000 geese on 8.12.1995 (2–13.12.1995 we observed only 190 geese in North Apsheron and 32 swans between the Kura estuary and Kyzyl-Agach) and 60 000 geese from helicopter 7.12.1996. These birds stay in the Kyzyl-Agach as a rule 5-10 days and then continue their migration to the south. The majority of geese arrive in Azerbaijan early December but for the short time, only the part from them remains here during the whole winter. Swans arrive mainly in January and their number increases to February.

 

Table 2

 

Results of counts in land expeditions in 1996

Результаты учетов наземных экспедиций 1996 г.

 

 

* — or/или A. albifrons, ** — or/или A. erythropus.

A. sp. — Anser sp., A. a. — A. anser, A. al. — A. albifrons, A. e. — A. erythropus, C. o. — Cygnus olor, C. c. — C. cygnus, C. b. — C. bewickii, C. sp. — C. species.

 

Comparison of results of the winter counts in places where they were carried out in 1993 and 1996 (unfortunately the count in Kyzyl-Agach was incomplete in 1996) shows that the number of swans­ was at least 2 times less in 1996 but the num­ber of geese was evidently close to results of 1993.

Obtained data confirm that Azerbaijan is one from the most important places for wintering and stopover site not only for common species but also for threatened and rare ones.

 

Acknowledgements

Authors thank very much Azerbaijan International Operating Company and alliance British Petroleum/Stat oil (office in Baku) without the material and financial support from them this research was impossible. We also thank H. Muhratov, A. Musayev and R. Husainov (Laboratory of Ornithology, Institute of Zoology of Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences) for their help.

 

REFERENCES

 

Paynter D., Aarvak T., Soultanov E. (1996): Winter count of threatened species in Azerbaijan. - TWSG News. 9: 39-42.

Soultanov E.H. (head), Mustafayev G.T., Musayev A.M., Mustafayev A.G., Muhtarov E.Sh. (1993): The results of winter count of birds in program “Inventarization of rare and valuable bird species of Azerbaijan fauna”. Baku. 1-28 (unpubl. report, in Azerb.).

Soultanov E.H., Mustafayev G.T. (1994): The main results of of the winter air count of birds in Azerbaijan. - The birds of Caucasus: Mater. of conference. Stavropol. 38-40 (in Russ.).

 

Elchin Soultanov

Institute of Zoology

block 504, passage 1128

370602 Baku

Azerbaijan