birdwatching inShirvan National Park
Easily accessible along the Baku-Astara highway 90 km south of Baku, Shirvan National Park is one of Azerbaijan’s top all-round nature sites and is best known as the home of the iconic goitered gazelle. The gazelle is an absolute Azerbaijan success story, since their numbers had dropped to just a few hundred animals in the 1960s but now count between 7,000 and 8,000 alone in Shirvan, and you’re guaranteed to see them during a visit here. But this huge area (54,000 hectares) is alsEasily accessible along the Baku-Astara highway 90km south of Baku, Shirvan National Park is one of Azerbaijan’s top all-round nature sites which is best known as the home of the iconic Goitered Gazelle, besides a host of other intriguing creatures. Additionally, this huge area (54,000 hectares) is a paradise for birdwatchers as it has recorded over 270 different species, to see many of which this is the most accessible site in Azerbaijan. The reason for such an abundance is its location on the Caspian coast bird migration path and its importance as a breeding, resting and wintering site. The huge flocks of Little Bustards, sometimes numbering more than 25,000 birds, that spend the winter in the lowland steppes like in Shirvan is one of the top attractions for birdwatchers in Azerbaijan! They can also be seen further west inland and are usually present from mid-November to early March.o a paradise for birdwatchers where over 270 different species have been recorded. The reason for such an abundance is its location on the Caspian coastline bird migration path, as well as its importance as a breeding, resting and wintering spot for a huge variety of species, including Greater Sandplover, White-tailed Lapwing, Greater Flamingo, Pygmy Cormorants, Lesser Kestrel, Steppe Buzzards, Imperial Eagle, both species of bee-eaters, Rollers, and Black Francolins.
Target species:
In winter:
Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax)
Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)
Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus bewickii)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
White-winged Lark (Alauda leucoptera)
Teal Duck (Anas crecca)
Curlew (Numenius arquata)
In spring and early summer:
Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus)
Menetries’s Warbler (Sylvia mystacea)
Lesser Short-toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens)
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)
Rufous Bush Chat (Cercotrichas galactotes)
Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)
Caspian Plover (Charadrius asiaticus)
Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)
White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)
Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
When to visit:
All year there is good birdwatching but try November-February for the flocks of Little Bustards and April-June for the breeding species. Also a visit in September-October will produce a good range of raptors, passerines and on the lake also ducks and waders.
Where to stay:
Kur Hotel (+994514130011) is a comfortable and affordable option in the nearby town of Salyan.
