Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Broadleaved forests with bushes and scrub in the valley of the Vilajchai river, which flows eastwards from the Talysh mountains.
An important area for endemic subspecies of
Phasianus colchicus
P. c. talishensis (25+ pairs). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site:
Ciconia nigra (2+ pairs). Other breeding species include
Milvus migrans (common),
Aquila pomarina and
Hieraeetus pennatus,
Alcedo atthis (very common),
Coracias garrulus (common), woodpeckers and passerines.
Milvus milvus is extremely rare in winter,
Falco cherrug a rare winter visitor.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main threats are intensive grazing, which prevents forest regeneration, poaching of
Phasianus colchicus, and illegal tree-felling (`Other' threat).
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Vilajchai valley. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/vilajchai-valley-iba-azerbaijan on 19/03/2024.