Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
One of the highest mountains in Azerbaijan (4,243 m) with ravines, cliffs, alpine and subalpine meadows, glaciers and eternal snow. Land-uses include sheep-grazing and mountaineering.
The alpine and subalpine zones support at least four of the 10 species in Europe that are restricted (when breeding) to the Eurasian high-montane biome. The site also supports breeding raptors (
Gypaetus barbatus,
Gyps fulvus, etc.) and, among passerines,
Cinclus cinclus,
Phoenicurus erythrogaster and
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Aegypius monachus (possibly breeds),
Aquila heliaca (possibly breeds).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats include intensive grazing and some poaching. There was a plan to designate the area as a National Park.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Shahdag (Azerbaijan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-shahdag-iba-azerbaijan on 23/12/2024.
