ORNITHOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE MID REACHES OF THE ARAKS RIVER IN ARMENIA

Abstract

The Araks River is the main water artery in Armenia sharing a nearly 150 km border with Turkey. Its mid reaches historically served important passage grounds for migratory waterbirds. However, the left banks of the Araks River within its border strip have not been surveyed since the late 1960s due to restricted access. The research aimed to survey the species diversity of waterbirds and their habitats preferences along the river shoreline. In 2020 and 2021, a total of 55 waterbird species from 13 families have been observed. Their abundance peaked in summer and declined in midwinter which was due to reduced habitat availability during these seasons in the Ararat valley. The current research revealed that despite nesting grounds for waterbirds are limited along the length of the shoreline, the river continues to provide important stopover and foraging grounds for diverse groups of waterbirds before and during the periods of migration.