The avian community of five Iranian wetlands, Miankaleh, Fereidoon-Kenar, Bujagh, Anzali and Lavandevil, in the south Caspian lowlands

Five wetlands in south Caspian lowlands have been selected in order to studytheir birds, namely Miankaleh, Fereidoon-Kenar, Bujagh, Anzali and Lavandevil. Allobservations were made using high-quality binoculars and a telescope on twice-monthlyvisits from spring 2006 to early January 2007. In respect to bird species, in spring Bujaghand Anzali with 82 were the predominant wetlands, whereas in summer it was Bujagh with 87, in autumn Bujagh with 144 and in winter Miankaleh with 148. The peak numbers of birds recorded were: Eurasian Teal A. crecca (146,000 in Bujagh, 29,000 in Anzali),Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (35,000 in Miankaleh), Greylag Goose Anser anser (23,050 in Miankaleh), Eurasian Coot Fulica atra (19,940 in Minakaleh and 13,000 in Bujagh) and Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans (1142 in Bujagh). The season-to season fluctuations of bird numbers have been estimated. A few suggestions have been made on the improvements to the conservation of the wetlands.