Branta Issues > Issue №9 (2006)

Spatial distribution and numbers of waders in winter period in the Azov-Black Sea region

Kinda V .V., Beskaravainy M.M., Diadicheva E.A., Chernichko I.I., Chernichko R .N., Formanyuk O.A.

This publication analyses the role of the Azov-Black Sea region and South Ukraine, in particular as the area of facultative wintering of waders, which for many species is a marginal zone of their main wintering areas. The paper summarizes, completes with author's data and specifies information of status, distribution and numbers of some species of waders. In case of enough data present, there is shown a period and regularity of the species occurrence in some points of the region, biotope fidelity and range of numbers fluctuation in different years.

At present, wintering fauna of waders in the Azov-Black Sea region includes 35 species. Among them dominated species are Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Sanderling (Calidris alba), and Gray Plover (Pluvialis squatarola); outside Ukraine - Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) and Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), in some years these are Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria), Little Stint (Calidris minuta), Ruff (Philomachux pugnax), Redshank (Tringa totanus). Out of 50 species of Ukrainian fauna only 28 are reliably occurred in winter. Besides, wintering of Common Dotterel (Eudromias morinellus) seems to be very probable. Apart from species, registered in South Ukraine, other seven rare species were registered in December-February on the Black Sea areas (Bulgaria, Turkey, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories of Russia). These 7 species were Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola), Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus), Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii), Broad-billed Sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus) and Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica). In especially mild winters these species probably may be also occurred in other areas of the region.

In South Ukraine in the most favorable seasons winter numbers of the most numerous wader species can be estimated as 1,140-2,260 for Dunlin, 222-840 for Eurasian Curlew, 350-690 for Sanderling, 160-270 for Gray Plover. Generally, the birds most regularly wintering in the region are Gray Plover, Plover, Redshank, Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus), Dunlin, Sanderling, Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) and Eurasian Curlew.