WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY IN UZBEKISTAN

In early May, on the initiative of the Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds, educational events dedicated to the significance of water ecosystems for migratory birds were held in two regions of our country.

At the beginning of May, Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds joined the celebration of the World Migratory Bird Day. This year's Migratory Bird Day events around the world focused on the theme of water and its importance to migratory birds. The vast majority of migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems for their life cycle. However, wetlands are becoming increasingly vulnerable, as are the migratory birds that depend on them.

At a meeting held in early May on the shore of Talimarzhan reservoir in Kashkadarya region, the need to protect endangered species of migratory birds was discussed. 15 people took part in this educational event, organized by supervisor of 'Sociable Lapwing' student birdwatching club, senior lecturer of Karshi State University, Tulkin Uktamovich Rakhimov. This meeting was attended by staff of the Department of Natural Resources of Kashkadarya region, teachers and students of the secondary school ¹20 of Nuristan city, as well as lecturers and university students of Karshi State University. Students and schoolchildren learned about bird species living at the reservoir and that Talimarzhan is the only natural territory in Central Asia where more than 50% of critically endangered Sociable Lapwing global population can be observed on this species autumn migration.

Participants of the World Migratory Bird Day had the opportunity to observe Demoiselle Cranes, Collared Pratincoles, Gray and Great Egrets, Common Gull-billed Terns, Mallards and Common Pochards that stopped on the shore of Talimarzhan reservoir. The special guests of the World Migratory Bird Day were Thomas Tennhardt, Head of the NABU International Department, and Katya Kaupish, Head of the NABU Working Group for Central Asia and Eastern Europe. NABU provides support to Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds in monitoring of globally threatened migratory bird species such as Sociable Lapwing, Steppe Eagle and White-fronted Goose.

The World Migratory Bird Day was also celebrated at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Bukhara State University on the initiative of the 'Ivolga' student birdwatching club supervisor, associate professor of the Department of Ecology and Biology of the Bukhara State University Mukhtor Murodovich Turaev. More than 20 people became participants of this educational event: university students and lecturers of Bukhara State University, students and teachers of school ¹18 of Bukhara city.

At the meeting held within the walls of Bukhara State University, several questions related to directions and timing of bird migration, migratory birds found on the territory of our country and Bukhara region, as well as the need to protect rare and endangered birds that make annual seasonal flights were discussed. At the end of the event, an excursion to the zoological museum of Bukhara State University was organized for its participants.