Volga Delta

Russia

Overview

The Volga River empties into the north-eastern end of the Caspian Sea forming the largest river delta in the Western Palearctic region covering more than 6500km2.

This vast area has around 100 breeding birds and over 250 species in all have been recorded. There are extensive reedbeds and marshes, riparian woodland and cultivated land.

There are numerous lakes and oxbows and the river enters the Caspian Sea through almost 800 channels over a stretch of coast more than 200km wide.

Birds

Notable Species

Some of the breeding birds are very rare elsewhere in Europe and include Dalmatian Pelican, White-tailed Eagle and Pallid Harrier and the largest breeding concentration of breeding Pallas's Gull anywhere in the world. Other breeders include several species of heron, Great Cormorant and Pygmy Cormorant, Glossy Ibis and Eurasian Spoonbill and ducks such as Red-crested Pochard and Ferruginous Duck.

More than 200,000 pairs of waterfowl breed here each year.

Breeding raptors include White-tailed Eagle, Osprey and small numbers of Greater Spotted Eagle.

Passage is also exceptional with huge numbers of waterfowl using the area to rest and feed, around 10 million in autumn.Waders also occur in large numbers and include eastern species such as Broad-billed Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper and Terek Sandpiper.

Rarities

One of the world's most endangered species, the Siberian White Crane, occurs regularly in spring and autumn in very small numbers.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, Great Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Bittern, Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Black Stork, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Tundra Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Red-breasted Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Smew, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, European Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Levant Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Rough-legged Buzzard, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Osprey, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Merlin, Northern Hobby, Saker Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Grey Partridge, Common Quail, Common Pheasant, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Little Crake, Baillon's Crake, Common Moorhen, Grey-headed Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Siberian White Crane, Demoiselle Crane, Little Bustard, Great Bustard, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Pratincole, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Sociable Plover, White-tailed Plover, Northern Lapwing, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Ruff, Great Snipe, Common Snipe, Eurasian Woodcock, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, Pallas's Gull, Little Gull, Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Tern, Black Tern, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Eurasian Scops Owl, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, European Nightjar, Common Swift, Common Cuckoo, Stock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Turtle Dove, European Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Wryneck, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Bohemian Waxwing, Thrush Nightingale, Common Nightingale, Bluethroat, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wheatear, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Cetti's Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Eurasian River Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Booted Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Menetries' Warbler, Desert Warbler, Wood Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bearded Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Penduline Tit, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Great Grey Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, Northern Raven, Common Starling, Rose-coloured Starling, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Brambling, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Common Redpoll, Red Crossbill, Common Rosefinch, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Ortolan Bunting, Reed Bunting

Other Wildlife

To do

Site Information

History and Use

To do

Areas of Interest

The Astrakhan Biosphere Reserve is one of Russia's oldest protected areas and covers more than 600km2 containing a variety of wetland habitats.

Access and Facilities

To visit the Astrakhan Reserve it is undoubtedly best to join an organised trip with a birding holiday company if possible. In any case it is necessary to obtain permission from the authorities of the National Biosphere Reserve of Astrakhan, Nabereshnaja r. Zarew Street 119, RU-414000, Astrakhan. The best times to visit are probably mid-April to mid-June and late-August to mid-October.

For those making their own arrangements the city of Astrakhan lies at the northern end of the delta, 90km from the Caspian and can be reached by air from Moscow. The usual base for such trips is the village of Damchik reached by road (60km) or 5 hours by boat from Astrakhan. The guest houses here can arrange for experienced local guides to escort visitors into the delta.

Contact Details

To do

External Links

To do

Content and images originally posted by Steve