Around half a million birds hibernate in Caspian region

Migration of birds has finished and hibernation assembly have formed up in Caspian region in December. Thermophilic migrating birds almost disappeared but northern birds like pochards and rare inhabitants of tundra like long-tail ducks have appeared. They were arriving in different time. For example, the first flock of 2,000 birds showed up on December 12 while after two days there were more than 7,000 birds. 

Nevertheless, it is not record figures. There were days when more than 260 flocks of pochards with total amount up to 75,600 birds came to Turkmenbashy gulf within 2.5 hours during early temperature drop in Northern Caspian region. 

Population of widgeons, mallards and coots has increased twice in the second decade of December. One of the flocks has an albino bird. It is very rare to meet this species of duck with white feathers. Number of swans and white-tail eagles has also increased. 

Speaking of the birds that are entered to the Red Book, it is worth mentioning that Dalmatian pelican and ferruginous duck, which were seen in November, have not stayed for hibernation. But number of flamingo and white-headed ducks have grown and it seems like this rare species become recovering coming to our place more often. 

Around 60,000 birds have come to the zone of permanent monitoring in December. This is up to 10 percent of birds hibernating in Caspian region. Therefore, we can suggest that not less than half million birds is concentrated in Turkmen section of Caspian Sea, which matches average indicators of the monitoring from the beginning of XXI century.