Current view: Text account
Site description (2005 baseline):
Site location and context
Delta of the Kura, the largest river in the Transcaucasus, with reedbeds, flooded areas, bushes and shallows. Kura River splits on two main distributaries at the delta - Boyuk Kur and Kichik Kur. Site has magnificent food sources and protective conditions for waterbirds. It is one of main fishing district in the country. Land-uses include hunting, fishing, grazing and fish-ponds. To the south there are oil fields.
One of the two most important sites for wintering
Pelecanus in Azerbaijan. Site also hold one of the biggest winter population of Red-Crested Pochard. This site is characterized by high numbers of waders during winter and migration seasons. Other breeding Ciconiiformes include
Botaurus stellaris,
Ixobrychus minutus,
Egretta alba,
Ardea cinerea,
A. purpurea and
Platalea leucorodia, and there are many thousands of other passage and winter visitors.
Non-bird biodiversity: There are about 70 species of fish at this place (most of them have big importance for fishing industry). The most important are: Huso huso, Acipenser guldenstadti, A. stellatus, Salmo trutta caspius etc.
There is one of biggest fish-farm of state concern "Azerbalyg" on the territory of site. Local people use separate surrounding lands for agriculture and animal husbandry. The site is also using for active hunting and fishing. There are big oil fields at the south part of territory.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats include some poaching and possible pollution from pesticides and oil. Undoubtedly important for wintering waterbirds, but has yet to be surveyed properly.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
1. As a part of monitoring project was studied in 1996-1997 years by Azerbaijan Ornithological Society2. As a part of winter and autumn migration monitoring project of British Petroleum was studied in 2002-2005.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kura Delta (Azerbaijan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kura-delta-iba-azerbaijan on 23/12/2024.
