International Journal of Marine Science 2016, Vol.6, No.43, 1-13
3
and August in 1980 and 2015. The juvenile of the
Pheonicoterus ruber
have been counted by total count method
in the water and were multiplied by 2 (because one chick belonged to both parents). Breeding population of
Larus
genei, Larus armenicus
, and
Pelecanus onocrotalus
, estimated by nests count on the islands and multiplied by 2.
The breeding population of
Tadorna tadorna
estimated by total count of birds that their chicks could not fly and
they were swimming in the water with their chicks. Population of other breeding species estimated by total nests
counts. We couldn't estimate the breeding population of terrestrial birds, only reported the nest or chicks of them
on the islands on ground, trees or crack of rocks. Wintering population of waterbirds counted by total count in
January in 1980 and 2015.
Result
189 species of birds were observed in Lake Uromia in January and August1980 (at that time the lake Uromia was
full of water), that included 38.18% birds of Iran (at that time the species number of Iranian birds were 495
species (Scott et al., 1971) and 100 species in 2015 that included 19% of Iranian birds (species number of Iranian
birds reported 548 species in 2015, (Iranian birds Record Committee, 2015) table (1). Changes in bird's population
of Lake Uromia are shown in table (1).
Table 1: Number of species of birds in Lake Uromia in 1980 and 2015
Reduction %
2015
1980
47%
100
189
Species number of birds. Observed in lake Uromia
67%
17
52
Species number of breeding birds in lake Uromia
42.21%
63
109
Species number of terrestrial birds observed in lake Uromia
60%
6
15
Species number of terrestrial breeding birds in Lake Uromia
62%
16
42
Species number of waterbirds observed in Lake Uromia
88%
4
18
Species number of waterbirds breeding in Lake Uromia
55%
21
38
Species number of waders and wading birds observed in Lake Uromia
46%
7
12
Species number of breeding waders and wading birds in Lake Uromia
Terrestrial Birds in Lake Uromia
109 (57.67%) species of birds in Lake Uromia were terrestrial and observed on Kabodan, Espir, Ashk, Islami,
Arezo islands and coasts of Lake Uromia in 1980, reduced to 63 species in 2015. The terrestrial breeding and
non-breeding specie in 1980 and 2015 are shown in table (2)
Waterbirds in Lake Uromia
Observed and reported species of waterbirds in 1980 and 2015 are shown in table3. Population of waterbirds was
80891 individuals belonged to 80 species in 1980, reduced to 5675 individuals and 37 species in 2015. Reduction
of waterbirds population was 93% and species number was 46.25%. Breeding population of the waterbirds were
129893 pairs belonged to 29 species, reduced to 297 pairs and 11 species. Reduction was 99.77% and 62%
respectively in 2015 table (3).
Statuses of the indicator breeding species in Lake Uromia were as below:
1-Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber
Greater Flamingo is protected species in Iran and was breeding in Lake Uromia since 1957(Dep. of Environment
of West Azerbaijan, 1976). Breeding habitats of this species in Lake Uromia were Ashk, Espir, and Dugouzlar
Island since 1957 until the lake dried. Breeding population of the species was counted 20000 pairs in 1957,
increased to 100000 pairs in 1980, and reduced to less than 100 pairs in 2015 (Dep. of Environment of West
Azarbaijan 1976, Scott 2001, Behrouzi-Rad, 1980, 1990, and 2015). Non-breeding birds population of the species
were 20000 in 1980, but there was not non-breeding population in Lake Uromia in 2015, table (3) (Behrouzi-Rad
2015).
