A Journey into the World of Birds

The nature of our sunny Motherland is rich in a highly diverse world of feathered inhabitants. A certain portion of these birds are sedentary, living permanently in the region. Others, in search of favorable conditions and a stable food supply, migrate to various countries and regions, stopping there for wintering or nesting.

Birds found in the middle reaches of the Amu Darya are categorized by their habitat patterns into sedentary, migratory-nesting, wintering, summer-residing, transit-migratory, and accidental vagrants. As a result of scientific research conducted within the Amu Darya State Nature Reserve, a bird registry was compiled, confirming the presence of 265 species belonging to 18 orders and 52 families.

Within the reserve, 28 bird species are listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan. These include rare species such as:

• Accipitridae family (6 species): Short-toed Snake Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Pallas's Fish Eagle, and Egyptian Vulture.

• Falconidae family (3 species): Saker Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, and Lesser Kestrel.

• Otididae family (3 species): Great Bustard, Little Bustard, and MacQueen’s Bustard (Houbara).

  

The Kelif State Nature Sanctuary also hosts more than 220 bird species. Thanks to its location along major migration routes, this sanctuary attracts a vast number of birds. It serves as a vital resting and feeding ground for thousands of waterfowl and semi-aquatic birds during their migration, wintering, and nesting periods. During seasonal migrations, 74 species of transit birds stop in these waters to rest and feed. Among them, the Greater Flamingo, Steppe Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, MacQueen’s Bustard, and Great Bustard are listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan.

Within the sanctuary, 97 species of birds spend the winter, while 46 species are nesting residents. The species composition and the number of waterfowl and semi-aquatic birds here change annually, reaching 75,000–80,000 individuals in certain years. Among them, the most numerous are various species of ducks, coots, gulls, great cormorants, grebes, and geese.

The fact that our country has become a blessed haven for such diverse bird species is a symbol of the peace and prosperity of the region. This is why the our Esteemed President implements effective measures for the protection, study, and enrichment of the country's wildlife, creating extensive opportunities for work in this field. For this, we express our deep gratitude to our Hero-Arkadagly Serdar.