Distribution and number of herons (Ardeidae), White Stork Ciconia ciconia and Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus at their main wintering sites in the Azerbaijan Republic

Seven wintering heron species as well as White Stork Ciconia ciconia and GreaterFlamingo Phoenicopterus roseus were surveyed in all 27 important wetlands of the Azerbaijan Republic during the winter seasons of 2003/2004 and 2004/2005. Three species (Night Heron, Cattle Egret and White Stork) were not regular wintering migrants. The most numerous species was by far Greater Flamingo (10,974) followed by Little Egret Egretta garzetta (798) while the numbers of three species, namely Grey Heron Ardea cinerea (396), Great White Heron Egretta alba (381) and Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris (382) were quite similar. In terms of maximum bird numbers in selected sites, Gizilagach State Nature Reserve (6,978), Ajinohur (3,501) and Lake Aggyol (1,380) had the highest numbers of birds observed. Grey Heron, Little Egret and Great White Heron were registered on the majority of the wetlands (22, 21 and 20 sites, respectively) wheras Greater Flamingo was recorded only on six wetlands.