The role of Aksu Zhabagly Biosphere Reserve in the bird conservation of West Tien Shan

Abstract

The territory of Aksu Zhabagly has a high degree of representativeness at regional level. Aksu Zhabagly Biosphere Reserve has about 75% of total biodiversity of West Tien Shan. It has 72.5% of vertebrates. The ornithofauna of West Tien Shan consists of 415 species, including 210 nesting species and 205 migrating and wintering species. The bird fauna of Aksu Zhabagly Biosphere Reserve includes 306 species (73,7 %) as well as 152 nesting species (72,3 %) and 154 migrating and wintering species (75,1 %). The basis of nesting avifauna is formed of passerine birds (83 species). Besides nesting birds, the nature reserve’s territory is habitat for at least 137 species in not-nesting period - in winter and during seasonal migrations in spring and autumn. There are 25 rare bird species (75,7%) from 33 species in West Tien Shan.