Perm birds spend their “winter holidays” in Western Europe and Africa

Perm State University professor, ornithologist Aleksey Shepel filed a preview report on Perm ornithofauna.

Ornithological diversity of Perm Krai has grown twice since the beginning of the XX century. The population of thrushes, titmice, white wagtails, martlets, ducks and nightingales has grown several times in the last 25 years, said Aleksey Shepel.

Currently Perm counts around 235 species of birds, but only 60 of them stay for the winter in the region. You can see ducks, bullfinches, waxwings, goldfinches, swifts and willow tits during wintertime. 

Perm ornithologists are working on a map of winter bird migration. For now they know that Perm birds fly to the Western Europe and Africa.  Perm martins, geese, sand martins go to Italy and Spain, ducks – to Switzerland and England, and sandpipers – to France. Carnivorous birds – buzzards and honey buzzards – usually go to South Africa.

“Birds have a feeling of home. And it’s surprising that some monogamous birds, such as peregrines, split for winter months. A rooster can go to Saudi Arabia, and a hen – to India. Then they meet in spring”, - told Aleksey Shepel.

Shepel marks that some species tend to stay at the city for wintertime because of a solid food reserve - these are ducks, thrushes and hawfinches.