Data Zone
Country/territory: Azerbaijan
IBA criteria met: A1 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 100,000 ha
Site description (2000 baseline)
A semi-desert plain, cut across by many irrigation channels, with pastures and, to a lesser extent, cotton fields.
Key biodiversity
Certainly the most important area for wintering Tetrax tetrax in Azerbaijan, probably also in the former USSR; discovered only in 1989. Breeding species include Ciconia ciconia (in some villages), Francolinus francolinus (rare, in scrub along channels), Burhinus oedicnemus, Merops superciliosus (common) and larks (Alaudidae). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Branta ruficollis (formerly very common winter visitor, now very rare and not annual), Otis tarda (very rare winter visitor, not annual). Aquila nipalensis is common on migration, when Grus grus and Anthropoides virgo also occur.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mugan steppe (Azerbaijan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mugan-steppe-iba-azerbaijan on 23/11/2024.