Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The Pirsagat islands (six main limestone ones and many smaller rocks) form part of the Baku archipelago (which also includes the volcanic Los island) and extend as a chain from the Cape of Pirsagat into the Caspian Sea. They are rented by the Hunters' Society of Azerbaijan. There was formerly oil-drilling on Los island.
A total of about 5,500-6,000 pairs of seabird breed; 4,000+ on Pelikanyi, 1,000+ on Baburyi, 300 on Los. Gulls in 1989 included 28 pairs of
Larus melanocephalus (the only colony in the Caspian Sea) and other breeding terns in the same year were
Gelochelidon nilotica (75 pairs; first recorded breeding in Azerbaijan),
Sterna hirundo (1,000+ pairs) and
S. albifrons (25 pairs). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Branta ruficollis (vagrant, probably a common migrant formerly).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats come from egg-collection, disturbance caused to breeding birds by fishermen, hunting (autumn) and pollution from the oil industry.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pirsagat Islands and Los Island (Azerbaijan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pirsagat-islands-and-los-island-iba-azerbaijan on 23/11/2024.
