Kanibarazan Wetland

Kanibarazan wetland is an international wetland that was introduced as a no-hunt zone in 2006. This wetland was introduced as the first bird watching site in Iran in November 2007 by the National Committee for Nature Tourism and was registered in the Ramsar Convention in 2011.

With an area of more than 927 hectares, Kanibarazan wetland is one of the most important wetlands in the south of Lake Urmia and one of the most valuable habitats of migratory and resident waterbirds in the northwest of the country. It was initially a seasonal wetland, which was fed by water from surrounding springs and run off from agricultural land. However, by drainage canals that now supply water to the site throughout the year, it has become a permanent wetland.

Geographical Location:

This wetland is located at the southern side of Lake Urmia, 30 km northeast of Mahabad city, in the geographical coordinates of 45º 46' E 36º 59' N. It extends from the northeast of the Qara Dagh village to Garus Wetland. Qara Dagh, Befarvan, Qaleh Hassan Khvor Khvoreh, Dash Khaneh and Gapis are the villages around the lagoon where it is possible for the birdwatchers to stay. The southern part of the wetland is located at the foot of Qara Dagh (Black Mountain) and the mountain and Baba Haidar hill overlook it.

Elevation: 1275 meters

Access: The Tehran-Maragheh-Mahabad railway and the asphalt road near the lagoon have made it easy to access this bird-watching site.

Vegetation: Sedges, Common Reed, Tamarisk, Creeping Bentgrass, Pennycress, Euclidium, Matthiola deserticola, Yellow salsify, flixweed, broadleaf plantain,

Amphibians and Reptiles: different species of frogs, toads, sea snakes and pond turtles.

Mammals: Wild Boar, Red Fox, Grey Wolf, Golden jackal.

Fish: Common Carp, Crucian carp, Vimba Bream, Catfish.

Birds: This wetland is a safe haven for migratory birds every year, especially in autumn and winter. Due to its topographic location and the presence of reed beds, it receives the largest population of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds that migrate to Kani Barazan wetland to rest, feed and also for breeding, among which are endangered species and are considered rare species. The presence of dense reeds at the edge of the lagoon and its appropriate depth has caused many species of birds to visit the lagoon either permanently or at certain times of the year. The breeding of the birds in the first six months of the year has made it possible for bird lovers to visit Kani Barazan Wetland all year round and enjoy watching the birds. However, the best time to visit Kanibarazan is November, when a large number of waterfowl, wader, sparrows and other species gather together. The image of white stork nests in every corner, especially, due to the kind behavior of the locals, on the wooden beams of the villages, will never be forgotten by the visitors.

Click here to read the persian version

Volunteers who provide this information:

• Writer: Farshid Samimi
  

• Translator: Nahal Hakimjavadi
  

• Editor: Iman Karimi

The list of birds that can be recorded in Gandoman pond:

 

1	White-tailed Eagle	76	Great White Plican
2	Egyptian Vulture	77	Greater Flamingo
3	Long-legged Buzzard	78	Tundra Swan
4	Eurasian Sparrowhawk	79	Mute Swan
5	Northern Goshawk	80	Whooper Swan
6	Black Kite	81	White Stork
7	Eurasian Kestrel	82	Eurasian Spoonbill
8	Eurasian Eagle-Owl	83	Glossy Ibis
9	Little Owl	84	Great Cormorant
10	Eurasian Penduline-Tit	85	Pygmy Cormorant
11	Bearded Reedling	86	Great Bittern
12	Blue-cheeked Bee-eater	87	Little Bittern
13	European Bee-eater	88	Great Egret
14	Common Quail	89	Purple Heron
15	Black-bellied Sandgrouse	90	Little Egret
16	Common Wood-Pigeon	91	Cattle Egret
17	Rock Pigeon	92	Squacco Heron
18	Laughing Dove	93	Gray Heron
19	European Roller	94	Black-crowned Night-Heron
20	Barn Swallow	95	Graylag Goose
21	Bank Swallow	96	Ruddy Shelduck
22	Common Swift	97	Common Shelduck
23	Syrian Woodpecker	98	Garganey
24	Common Cuckoo	99	Green-winged Teal
25	Eurasian Hoopoe	100	Marbled Teal
26	Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin	101	Red-crested Pochard
27	Spotted Flycatcher	102	Ferruginous Duck
28	Bluethroat	103	White-headed Duck
29	European Robin	104	Northern Shoveler
30	Gray Wagtail	105	Common Pochard
31	Western Yellow Wagtail	106	Mallard
32	White Wagtail	107	Northern Pintail
33	Citrine Wagtail	108	Eurasian Wigeon
34	Crested Lark	109	Little Grebe
35	Greater Short-toed Lark	110	Eared Grebe
36	European Goldfinch	111	Great Crested Grebe
37	Common Chaffinch	112	Eurasian Moorhen
38	Isabelline Shrike	113	Eurasian Coot
39	Red-backed Shrike	114	Slender-billed Gull
40	Lesser Gray Shrike	115	Caspian Gull
41	Whinchat	116	Black-headed Gull
42	European Stonechat	117	Armenian Gull
43	Siberian Stonechat	118	Black-winged Stilt
44	Isabelline Wheatear	119	Black-tailed Godwit
45	Northern Wheatear	120	Water Rail
46	Pied Wheatear	121	Common Snipe
47	Black-eared Wheatear	122	Pied Avocet
48	Great Reed Warbler	123	Common Sandpiper
49	Moustached Warbler	124	Marsh Sandpiper
50	Willow Warbler	125	Spotted Redshank
51	Lesser Whitethroat	126	Common Greenshank
52	Mountain Chiffchaff	127	Common Redshank
53	Clamorous Reed Warbler	128	Wood Sandpiper
54	Menetries's Warbler	129	Green Sandpiper
55	Marsh Warbler	130	Northern Lapwing
56	Savi's Warbler	131	Spur-winged Lapwing
57	Eurasian Reed Warbler	132	White-tailed Lapwing
58	Common Chiffchaff	133	Ruff
59	Red-throated Pipit	134	Little Stint
60	Water Pipit	135	Curlew Sandpiper
61	Corn Bunting	136	Lesser Sand-Plover
62	Reed Bunting	137	Kentish Plover
63	Black-headed Bunting	138	Little Ringed Plover
64	Yellowhammer	139	Little Tern
65	Yellow-billed Chough	140	Gull-billed Tern
66	Common Raven	141	Whiskered Tern
67	Eurasian Jackdaw	142	Caspian Tern
68	Eurasian Magpie	143	Common Tern
69	Rook	144	White-winged Tern
70	Hooded Crow	145	Collared Pratincole
71	European Starling	146	Pied Kingfisher
72	House Sparrow	147	Common Kingfisher
73	Spanish Sparrow	148	Pallid Harrier
74	Rock Sparrow	149	Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
75	Eurasian Tree Sparrow	150	Imperial Eagle

 

1	White-tailed Eagle	76	Great White Plican
2	Egyptian Vulture	77	Greater Flamingo
3	Long-legged Buzzard	78	Tundra Swan
4	Eurasian Sparrowhawk	79	Mute Swan
5	Northern Goshawk	80	Whooper Swan
6	Black Kite	81	White Stork
7	Eurasian Kestrel	82	Eurasian Spoonbill
8	Eurasian Eagle-Owl	83	Glossy Ibis
9	Little Owl	84	Great Cormorant
10	Eurasian Penduline-Tit	85	Pygmy Cormorant
11	Bearded Reedling	86	Great Bittern
12	Blue-cheeked Bee-eater	87	Little Bittern
13	European Bee-eater	88	Great Egret
14	Common Quail	89	Purple Heron
15	Black-bellied Sandgrouse	90	Little Egret
16	Common Wood-Pigeon	91	Cattle Egret
17	Rock Pigeon	92	Squacco Heron
18	Laughing Dove	93	Gray Heron
19	European Roller	94	Black-crowned Night-Heron
20	Barn Swallow	95	Graylag Goose
21	Bank Swallow	96	Ruddy Shelduck
22	Common Swift	97	Common Shelduck
23	Syrian Woodpecker	98	Garganey
24	Common Cuckoo	99	Green-winged Teal
25	Eurasian Hoopoe	100	Marbled Teal
26	Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin	101	Red-crested Pochard
27	Spotted Flycatcher	102	Ferruginous Duck
28	Bluethroat	103	White-headed Duck
29	European Robin	104	Northern Shoveler
30	Gray Wagtail	105	Common Pochard
31	Western Yellow Wagtail	106	Mallard
32	White Wagtail	107	Northern Pintail
33	Citrine Wagtail	108	Eurasian Wigeon
34	Crested Lark	109	Little Grebe
35	Greater Short-toed Lark	110	Eared Grebe
36	European Goldfinch	111	Great Crested Grebe
37	Common Chaffinch	112	Eurasian Moorhen
38	Isabelline Shrike	113	Eurasian Coot
39	Red-backed Shrike	114	Slender-billed Gull
40	Lesser Gray Shrike	115	Caspian Gull
41	Whinchat	116	Black-headed Gull
42	European Stonechat	117	Armenian Gull
43	Siberian Stonechat	118	Black-winged Stilt
44	Isabelline Wheatear	119	Black-tailed Godwit
45	Northern Wheatear	120	Water Rail
46	Pied Wheatear	121	Common Snipe
47	Black-eared Wheatear	122	Pied Avocet
48	Great Reed Warbler	123	Common Sandpiper
49	Moustached Warbler	124	Marsh Sandpiper
50	Willow Warbler	125	Spotted Redshank
51	Lesser Whitethroat	126	Common Greenshank
52	Mountain Chiffchaff	127	Common Redshank
53	Clamorous Reed Warbler	128	Wood Sandpiper
54	Menetries's Warbler	129	Green Sandpiper
55	Marsh Warbler	130	Northern Lapwing
56	Savi's Warbler	131	Spur-winged Lapwing
57	Eurasian Reed Warbler	132	White-tailed Lapwing
58	Common Chiffchaff	133	Ruff
59	Red-throated Pipit	134	Little Stint
60	Water Pipit	135	Curlew Sandpiper
61	Corn Bunting	136	Lesser Sand-Plover
62	Reed Bunting	137	Kentish Plover
63	Black-headed Bunting	138	Little Ringed Plover
64	Yellowhammer	139	Little Tern
65	Yellow-billed Chough	140	Gull-billed Tern
66	Common Raven	141	Whiskered Tern
67	Eurasian Jackdaw	142	Caspian Tern
68	Eurasian Magpie	143	Common Tern
69	Rook	144	White-winged Tern
70	Hooded Crow	145	Collared Pratincole
71	European Starling	146	Pied Kingfisher
72	House Sparrow	147	Common Kingfisher
73	Spanish Sparrow	148	Pallid Harrier
74	Rock Sparrow	149	Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
75	Eurasian Tree Sparrow	150	Imperial Eagle

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