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Republic of Armenia

Armenian Gull Larus armenicus ©Xelgen (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons Website

Armenia is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia with a population of under three million people. It is located in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains and their lowlands between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea at the south-eastern limits of the Western Palaearctic. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. It is situated at the junction of Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  Yerevan is the capital, largest city and financial center housing over a third of the country’s population.

Armenia has an area of nearly 30,000 K2 (11,500 square miles). The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers, and few forests. Elevations range from under 400m to over 4000m, and with the average elevation is about 1800m above sea level. Various factors, such as the country’s geographical situation, climate and complex geomorphology lead to there being a variety of landscapes and habitats from rocky semi-deserts and mountain steppes to mixed, open juniper and deciduous forests and alpine meadows. The country is crossed by several mountain ranges (Pambak, Geghama, Vardenis, Zangezur etc.), separated with river valleys, the largest of which are Arax, Debed, Akhuryan, Arpa, and Voghji rivers.

Armenia also has numerous smaller rivers running down the mountain slopes, waterlogged meadows and marshes, and various artificial wetlands, such as irrigation canals, fish farming ponds and reservoirs.

Sevan National Park – ©Beko, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Natural lakes of variable size are found throughout the country, mostly in highlands, the largest of them are Lakes Sevan and Arpilich. The landscape of southern Armenia is particularly rocky, and high cliffs and deep canyons are abundant here. In all regions from lowlands to mid elevations around human habitations are scattered cereal and vegetable fields, gardens and orchards.

The climate in Armenia is markedly highland continental. Summers are hot, dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between 22 & 36 °C. However, the low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening breezes blowing down the mountains provide a welcome refreshing and cooling effect. Springs are short, while autumns are long. Autumns are known for their vibrant and colourful foliage. Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow, with temperatures ranging between −10 & −5 °C.

Birding Armenia

These conditions result in unusually rich diversity of flora and fauna in a relatively small country’s territory. Up to the present at least 377 bird species have been reliably recorded in Armenia, of which over 240 species breed. Many European bird species are represented in Armenia by regional forms, which are normally encountered during a birding trip to the country, while a spring-summer trip of 8-10 days one’s list typically reaches 200-220 species, stuffed with almost all of the Caucasian specialities.

Lakes Sevan and Arpilich hold the world’s largest breeding colonies of Armenian Gull, Citrine Wagtail (recently established as a breeding), while the latter lake also supports a small breeding population of Dalmatian Pelican. Fish farms in the Ararat plane are home to Glossy Ibis, Pygmy Cormorant, Marbled, Ferruginous and White-headed Ducks. The reeds and scrub here host Ménétries’s, Moustached, Paddyfield and Savi’s Warblers; on the surrounding salt planes White-tailed Lapwing breed and banks of canals are inhabited with White-winged and Whiskered Terns and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

The deciduous mountain forests are full of a variety of birds, among which are Lesser-spotted Eagle, Black, Green and Middle-spotted Woodpeckers, Ehrenberg’s Redstart (sub-species of common), Greenish Warbler, Mountain Chiffchaff and Red-breasted & Semi-collared Flycatchers. The talus slopes that have scrub above the timberline are home to Caucasian Grouse, the magna race of Bluethroat and Radde’s Accentor, while in the alpine meadows with mountain springs have Horned Lark, ‘Caucasian’ Twite and Red-fronted Serin. Crags and scree adjoining the alpine meadows are inhabited by Caspian Snowcock, Crimson-winged Finch and Wallcreeper.

Armenia holds an excellent selection of diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey, including the four European vultures, Short-toed Eagle, Levant Sparrowhawk, Lesser Kestrel, Lanner, Eagle Owl and an isolated relict population of ‘Caucasian’ Tengmalm’s Owl. Arid hills with rock outcrops in the Arax valley host Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Finsch’s Wheatear, Pale Rockfinch (Rocksparrow), Trumpeter and Mongolian Finches and Grey-necked Bunting. The foothills of mountains are inhabited by Bimaculated Lark and the armenicus race of Stonechat, in dry gorges with shrubs you can find Eastern Rock Nuthatch, White-throated Robin, Eastern Orphean and Upcher’s Warblers. Visiting extreme south of the country near the border with Iran can produce observations of Black Francolin, See-see Partridge, the chrysopygia race of Red-tailed Wheatear and Sombre Tit.

The Armenian plateau near Mount Masis – ©ahmet soyak, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Situated on an important migration flyway Armenia offers superb opportunities to see, among many others, such passage migrants as Demoiselle Crane, Black-winged Pratincole, Broad-billed, Terek and Marsh Sandpipers, Pallas’s Gull, Calandra Lark and others. Raptor passage is spectacular and migrants include Eastern Imperial, Greater-spotted, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers and Lesser Kestrel. More numerous are Lesser-spotted and Steppe Eagles, Black Kite, Steppe, Long-legged and Honey Buzzards.

May-June are the best months to visit in spring and summer and during the whole of September and October in autumn. The 8-12 days should be considered as the minimal period to get most of the country’s specialties. Road conditions have been significantly improved during the last few years, but long-distance driving is nevertheless slow due to the snaking character of most highways and omnipresent mountain passes. Most of the off-road tracks in remote areas and those leading up to mountains require 4WD vehicles with an experienced driver. These could now be rented locally with or without an optional driver. Various hotels, B&Bs and house-stay-type accommodation are available in all regions of the country, while camping is also possible. Even during the hottest summers, when temperature in lowlands exceeds 30-40c one should expect drastic weather changes high in the mountains, where sudden rain or hail storms are not unusual. Food in Armenia is cheap and diverse and traditional dishes are typically rich in herbs and vegetables, grown in the country.

Mount Aragats – ©Armenak Margarian, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The richness in birds and other wildlife in conjunction with the famous hospitality of the local people, delicious cuisine, numerous ancient historical and cultural monuments and some of the most impressive scenery in the Western Palaearctic, makes Armenia a worthwhile and rewarding destination for every keen birder. With the handful of resident observers and the lack of a local birdwatching club, large amounts of valuable bird observations from Armenia are still coming from visiting birders. And there are always chances for new discoveries here, as many parts of the country still remain under-watched. Experienced birders and tour operators, who wish to submit their observations from the country to the Armenian Bird Records Database, may do so at the following email address: aves(AT)armeniabirding.info

Top Sites

  • Armash Fishponds

    InformationSatellite View
    Situated in the arid and salty semi-deserts of the Arax Valley, is one of the best known birding sites in the country. This is the largest fishery in the area with over 20 ponds where various Carp species are farmed. There is much marginal vegetation in places and reedbeds can be extensive providing excellent habitat for a range of waterbirds during the breeding season, passage periods and winter. With the loss and degradation of other wetlands in Armenia this site is becoming increasingly important and thoroughly deserves official protection. Breeding species include Pygmy Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe and ducks including Ruddy Shelduck, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck and small numbers of Marbled Duck. Several pairs of White-headed Duck and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters are found to be regular breeders here. Larger wading birds are common and include Glossy Ibis and White Stork as well as Little, Black-crowned Night, Squacco and Purple Herons and Little and Cattle Egrets. White-tailed Plover and Savi`s Warbler are recent colonists, Collared Pratincole, Kentish and Little Ringed Plovers also breed. A good range of wetland warblers is possible in the reedbeds here with Cetti`s, Sedge and Moustached, Paddyfield, Reed and Great Reed all present. Other passerines include Bearded Reedling, Lesser Short-toed Lark, ‘Black-headed’ Wagtail and a thick-billed race of Reed Bunting.

  • Mount Aragats

    WebsiteSatellite View
    This mountain lies to the north-west of Armenia`s capital, Yerevan, and reaches 4090m. It is an excellent area for montane species Horned Lark, Alpine Accentor, Wallcreeper and Snow Finch occur in the more upland areas around Lake Kari along with high-altitude specialities of the area such as Water Pipit, ‘Caucasian’ Twite and Crimson-winged Finch. More widespread upland birds include both rock thrushes, Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear and Ring Ouzel. Western Rock Nuthatch, Ortolan Bunting and Red-billed Chough are common. Raptors are impressive and include Short-toed, Booted and Lesser Spotted Eagles and Long-legged Buzzard in summer and Pallid Harrier and Steppe Eagle in autumn. The lower slopes and scrub hold more of the area`s specialities such as Radde`s Accentor, ‘Caucasian’ Bluethroat, White-throated Robin and the skulking and elusive Barred Warbler. Lesser Grey Shrike also occurs as well as Lesser Whitethroat Cetti`s Warbler and Black-headed Bunting. More wooded areas are home to Goshawk, Mountain Chiffchaff, Golden Oriole and Syrian Woodpecker. Arid foothills of Aragats host Finsch’s and Isabelline Wheatears, Bimaculated Lark and ‘Armenian’ Stonechat.
Contributors

  • Vasil Ananian

    Armenian Guide

    Website
Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 378

    (As at July 2024)
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Armenia , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.

  • BirdList

    List
    Many of our tables are coded for abundance and presence. For printing a paper copy to take with you to your destination: here is how you can print a table. Click here if you are curious about who we are.

  • The Animal Spot

    Annotated List
    Despite its relatively small size, Armenia has a diverse variety of birds living there. Several of them are regional variants of avian species found in Europe. The best time to experience this diversity is between May and June and between September and October when they are most active.

  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    This is a list of the bird species recorded in Armenia. The avifauna of Armenia include a total of 377 species.

  • eBird

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
Useful Reading

  • A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia

    | By Martin S Adamian & Daniel Klem Jr. et al | American University of Armenia | 1997 | Paperback | 220 pages, 61 plates with colour illustrations; 348 colour distribution maps, b/w line drawings | ISBN: 9780965742917 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Handbook to the Birds of Armenia

    | By Martin S Adamian & Daniel Klem | American University of Armenia Corporation | 1999 | Hardback | 649 pages, Tabs, fold-out reference map | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780965742931 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Museums & Universities

  • American University of Armenia - Acopian Center for the Environment

    Webpage
    The Environmental Conservation and Research Center (ECRC) was established in 1992 to work towards fulfilling AUAs mission to promote sustainable development in Armenia. The Center is generously endowed by Mr. Sarkis Acopian, and in 1997 the Sarkis Acopian Chair in Environmental Conservation was established.
Organisations

  • Armenian Ornithological Society

    Facebook

  • Armenian Society for the Protection of Birds

    Website
    Our mission to conserve nature to ensure that the wildlife is protected.

  • EBCC Armenian Bird Cencus

    Website
    Armenia is situated at the junction of two - European and Irano-Anatolian - zoogeographical provinces. It is a mountainous country with elevation between 375 and 4090 meters above sea level, with contrast climatic conditions and a large range of habitats from dry semi-deserts to alpine meadows. Being located between Black and Caspian seas, Armenia is actually one of the bridges, connecting the temperate zone of Eurasia with Middle East and Africa. All those factors substantially determine the richness of birds in Armenia. At present there are 372 species of birds, recorded in Armenia, including 234 breeding and 138 migratory or wintering species (see Checklist to Birds of Armenia). High species diversity in Armenia and in the whole Caucasus was one of the reasons to include the region into the list of 35 Global Biodiversity Hotspots.

  • Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC)

    Website
    FPWC’s mission is to protect and conserve wildlife and natural heritage, synergizing sustainable community development, environmental education and behavioural change.

  • Wildlife Rescue & Reabilitation Center

    Website
    With your help and support we aim to rescue caged bears in Armenia
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • NP Arevik

    InformationSatellite View
    Arevik National Park, is one of the four protected national parks of the Republic of Armenia. Occupying an area of 344 km2, it is located in the southern Syunik Province of Armenia. Among over 180 species of birds recorded in the national park, there are number of species included in Red Book of the Republic of Armenia: lammergeyer, griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, Levant sparrowhawk, woodchat shrike, and others.

  • NP Dilijan

    InformationSatellite View
    Dilijan National Park, is one of the 4 protected national parks of the Republic of Armenia. Occupying an area of 240 km², it is located in the north-eastern Tavush Province of Armenia. It is known for its forest landscapes, rich biodiversity, medicinal mineral water springs, natural and cultural monuments. Birds are also abundant represented by 150 species including black grouse (Tetrao mlokosievicsi), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), bearded eagle (Gypaetus barbatus aureus), Caspian snowcock (Tetraogallus caspius) and others. Over 40 species of mammals are registered in the national park such as red deer (Cervus elaphus), brown bear (Ursus arctos), fox (Vulpes vulpes), lynx (Lynx), wolf (Canis lupus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), wild cat (Felis silvestris), roe (Capreolus capreolus), badger (Meles meles), squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) and others.

  • NP Lake Arpi

    InformationSatellite View
    Lake Arpi National Park[1] is one of four protected national parks of the Republic of Armenia. Occupying an area of 250 km², it is in the northwestern Shirak Province. Formed in 2009, it is located around Lake Arpi at the Shirak and Javkheti plateau, at a height of 2000 meters above sea level. The park is surrounded by the Yeghnakhagh mountains in the west and the Javakheti Range in the northwest.

  • NP Sevan

    InformationSatellite View
    Sevan National Park, is one of the 4 protected national parks of the Republic of Armenia, founded in 1978 to protect Lake Sevan and the surrounding areas. It is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Nature Protection and includes a research center, which monitors the ecosystems, and undertakes various conservation measures. Licensed fishing on the lake is also regulated. Up to 267 bird species have been recorded in Sevan Basin.

  • S Arzakan-Meghradzor

    InformationSatellite View
    The Arzakan-Meghradzor Sanctuary is a protected area in the Armenian Kotayk Province. The sanctuary covers an area of 135.32 km² in the Hrazdan forest. The sanctuary protects mountain forests consisting mainly of oak trees. This environment forms a valuable habitat for animals like the brown bear, roe deer and the caucasian black grouse.

  • SR Erebuni

    InformationSatellite View
    Erebuni State Reserve is nature protected area of Armenia located in the Yerevan, located around 8 km southeast of the centre of the city in the District of Erebuni. At a height between 1300 and 1450 meters above sea level, the reserve occupies an area of 120 hectares, mainly consisted of semi-deserted mountains-steppe

  • SR Goravan Sands

    InformationSatellite View
    Goravan Sands Sanctuary, is a state protected area in Ararat Province, Armenia.

  • SR Khosrov Forest

    InformationSatellite View
    Birdlife in the reserve accounts for 56 per cent of the avifauna in Armenia. There are 192 bird species found in reserve from 44 families. From them 63 species are residing, 83 nesting, 83 occurring from migrations, 11 wintering, 10 vagrants and 5 casual.

  • SR Shikahogh

    InformationSatellite View
    Shikahogh State Reserve is Armenia’s second largest forest reserve, covering some 10,330 ha of land, and located in southern Armenia in the Syunik Province. Environmentalists have said it has been largely unaffected by Armenia’s massive post-Soviet deforestation due to its remote location and care shown by residents of nearby villages.

  • WR Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR),

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR), which encompasses around 30,000 hectares, is the first privately protected area in the South Caucasus.

  • Wetlands of International Importance

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Armenia presently has 2 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance, with a surface area of 492,239 hectares.
Sightings, News & Forums
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Arara

    Tour Operator
    Despite the fact that Armenia is a small country it has a surprisingly rich diversity of flora and fauna. About 345 bird species are recorded here! By choosing our exclusive Birding Tour in Armenia you will have a great opportunity to take part in a 10-day journey and observe many kinds of semi-desert, forest, high-mountain and water birds. At Lake Sevan, you will visit the Gull Island and observe endemic Armenian Gulls (Larus armenicus) and various migrant waders. Moreover, you will visit various ancient attractions and get in touch with ancient times!

  • Birding Armenia

    Tour Operator

  • Birding Caucasus

    Tour Operator
    The Frosty Caucasus A winter photo session with Güldenstädt's Redstart (White-winged Redstart) and Great Rosefinch More than 150 years ago, Gustav Radde, the doyen of ornithology in the Caucasus, faced a mystery. He had just returned from an expedition into the winterly central Caucasus where he succeeded to collect a few specimens of Güldenstädt's Redstarts and Great Rosefinches in...

  • Birdwatching Breaks

    Tour Operator
    Our tour covers the main birdwatching areas of Armenia, a country slightly smaller than Belgium. We start in Yerevan before travelling north to Dilijan, a forested region with breeding Semi-collared and Red-breasted Flycatchers. Several birding sites are close to Yerevan including Lake Sevan and an Armenian Gull colony

  • EcoTours

    Tour Operator

  • HeatherLea

    Tour Operator
    Relaxed Eastern European birding in a quiet, unspoilt environment

  • NatureTrek

    Tour Operator
    Armenia is a small Christian country, about the size of Wales, situated at the meeting point between Europe and Asia, in the Caucasus region. It is a land-locked country, formerly a Soviet Republic, nestling in the snow-capped Caucasian Mountains, overlooked by Mount Ararat just over the border in Turkey.

  • Rockjumper

    Tour Operator
    Located deep in the Caucasus, our birding tour to Georgia and Armenia is one of the most recent additions to our birding calendar.

  • Ruben Tours

    Tour Operator
    ...Breakfast in the hotel. Travel to the semi-desert areas in outskirts of Vedi town. After Vedi town the 4WD cars will be needed. The species here include Isabelline, Black-eared, and Finsch’s Wheatears, Trumpeter Finch, Desert Finch, Rufous-tailed Bush Robins, and others. The area is often visited by Cinereous Vultures...

  • Travelling naturalist

    Tour Operator
    This landlocked country is a stop-over for an astounding variety of migrating birds making Armenia a guaranteed destination for spectacular birdwatching. The landscape varies from high mountains to vast wetlands and thick forests - the botanical opportunities are as mesmerising as the wildlife.

  • Wise Birding

    Tour Operator
    Caucasian Snowcock, Caspian Snowcock, Caucasian Black Grouse, Bearded Vulture, Great Rosefinch, Güldenstädt’s Redstart, Radde’s Accentor, Mountain Chiffchaff, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Menetrie’s Warbler, Green Warbler, Red-fronted Serin, White-throated Robin, Red-tailed Wheatear, Wallcreeper and many more!
Trip Reports

  • 2015 [05 May] - Peter Zeller - Georgia & Armenia

    Report
    Despite their small size, Georgia and Armenia offer some of the most sought-after bird species in the Western Palearctic. Nowhere else the chance of seing Great Rosefinch, White-winged Redstart, Mountain Chiffchaff, Caucasian Black Grouse and Persian Wheatear are this good.

  • 2019 [05 May] - Batumi Birding - Armenia & Georgia

    PDF Report
    The Caucasus Royal tour is a trip that combines the best birdwatching as well as a variety of culturally important sites in Georgia and Armenia.

  • 2019 [05 May] - Rod Standing - Georgia & Armenia

    PDF Report
    Georgia and Armenia! It’s hard to think of two more bird-rich and evocative countries in the Western Palearctic. So, when my brother Dom and I were looking at where to go for our first birding trip outside Israel, where Dom lives, the decision was easy.

  • 2019 [06 June] - Neil Anderson

    PDF Report
    164 bird species seen on this 9-day tour, including Armenian Gull, Caucasian Grouse, Caspian Snowcock, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, White-throated Robin and much more.

  • 2022 [05 May] - Birding Georgia and Armenia independently

    PDF Report
    I drove up Mt Aragats to the shrubby area mid height that people tend to bird to look for Radde’s Accentor. I started birding around where the eBird Hotspot is - Mt Aragats (Արագած) Summit Road and quickly found White-throated Robin. It didn’t take too long (about an hour) and I found a pair of Radde’s Accentor at 40.3994, 44.2513. Having seen those two species, I birded all the way to the end of the road, still up to 1m of snow at the top with the road having been recently cleared. I found no Snowfinch or Crimson-winged Finch but did have a ton of Horned Larks, a few Twite, and a pair of Alpine Accentor near the very top.

  • 2022 [05 May] - Chris Townend

    PDF Report
    GEORGIA & ARMENIA: Birding the Caucasus

  • 2022 [06 June] - Hans Peter Fischer

    PDF Report
    ...Getting up early and driving to Armash Fishponds. As we arrived at the gates at 6:30am we had a communication issue, as our registration has not been communicated. At least the warden did not know about us and it took a couple of phone calls and the help of Karen Aghababyan that we could finally enter the fishpond area, after the formal registration procedure and leaving copies of our passports at the reception...

  • 2023 [04 April] - Chris Townend

    PDF Report
    GEORGIA & ARMENIA: Birding the Caucasus

  • 2023 [05 May] - Alexander Rukhaia

    PDF Report
    Grand Caucasus - Georgia & Armenia

  • 2024 [05 May] - Frantz Barrault

    PDF Report
    ...Mont Aragats : Superb and wild above 1700m. I had to turn back 2km from the summit after encountering the 3rd wall of 1m to 2m high snow on both sides of the road. It was snowing heavily with fog and wind starting from 2500m. Temperature around 1°C. The route towards and around Amberd Fortress was very scenic, with a high density and variety of species along this road (Bearded Vulture, White-throated Robin, Ring Ouzel, Ortolan Buntings, Blue Rock and Rock Thrushes). There was a very high density of birds (Horned Larks, Water Pipits, Twite) at high altitudes along the almost straight long line around 2700-2900m despite the weather conditions. Beautiful bird densities also around Amberd, with the presence of some migrating raptors...
Other Links

  • Field Guide to Birds of Armenia

    Website
    Photos

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