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The Kurdistan Region's flora and fauna

SUN, 27 JUN 2010 16:43 | KRG.org

Partidge (Alectoris Chukar)
On the craggy slopes of the Kurdistan Region, you will find low-growing trees, birds and wild goats. On the mountain ridges grow small oaks, juniper trees and mountain herbs, and in the stream valleys are poplars. Eucalyptus can be found in watered areas on the plains.

Four locations in the Region have been designated as important bird areas (IBAs) by Birdlife International: 1) the dammed lakes of Dukan and Darbandikhan and the uncompleted Bekhma Dam area between Duhok and Erbil provinces, 2) Benavi, 3) Dori Serguza, and 4) Ser Amadiya in Duhok province.

Depending on the season, in these areas there are likely to be bearded and Egyptian vultures, Eurasian griffons and Radde’s accentor. There may also be white storks, chukar (partridges), white-throated robins, cinereous bunting, Eastern and Western Rock nuthatches, Syrian woodpeckers, sombre tits, masked shrike, and red-fronted serin. Around the mountain ridge of Ser Amadiya there may also be orphean warblers, sombre tits, masked shrike, alpine chough, red-billed chough and ortolan bunting.[1]

It is not certain whether the Eurasian lynx (Caucasus subspecies), a wild cat, still inhabits the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, but it is considered to be threatened by the World Wildlife Fund. [2] The Sind ibex and wild goats of Kurdistan are classified as vulnerable species.[3]

[1] Birdlife International.

[2] World Wildlife Fund.

[3] World Conservation Union.


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