Iran / Iraq Ramsar wetland
Hawizeh Marshes
177 bird species recorded; the most from March to April.
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30
This month here
105 species in January.93 species in February.141 species in March.141 species in April.72 species in May.53 species in June.67 species in July.0 species in August.113 species in September.77 species in October.0 species in November.82 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
VU
NTNo records for this month.
NT
NT
No records for this month.
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
177 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 177Speciesrecorded more than once
- 90Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 4ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 2,018Recordsopen records within 15 km
- 13Raptors
- 1Owls
- 29Waders
- 16Gulls & seabirds
- 14Ducks & geese
- 20Herons, ibises & grebes
- 1Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 59Songbirds
- 23Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 177 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Long-legged BuzzardButeo rufinus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
Owls1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
Waders29 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Spur-winged LapwingVanellus spinosus
- Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
- White-tailed LapwingVanellus leucurus
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
Gulls & seabirds16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Armenian GullLarus armenicus
- Pallas's GullIchthyaetus ichthyaetus
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Common GullLarus canus
Ducks & geese14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Marbled TealMarmaronetta angustirostrisNT
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
Herons, ibises & grebes20 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Microcarbo pygmaeusMicrocarbo pygmaeus
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- DarterAnhinga rufa
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Goliath HeronArdea goliath
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus
- Great White PelicanPelecanus onocrotalus
Storks & cranes1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds59 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Iraq BabblerTurdoides altirostris
- Dead Sea SparrowPasser moabiticus
- Delicate PriniaPrinia lepida
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Afghan BabblerTurdoides huttoni
- White-eared BulbulPycnonotus leucotis
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Isabelline ShrikeLanius isabellinus
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Clamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreus
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Siberian stonechatSaxicola maurus
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Basra Reed-warblerAcrocephalus griseldis
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- HypocoliusHypocolius ampelinus
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Rufous-tailed ShrikeLanius phoenicuroides
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Rufous-tailed Scrub RobinErythropygia galactotes
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Half-collared FlycatcherFicedula semitorquata
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Pied WheatearOenanthe pleschanka
- Isabelline wheatearOenanthe isabellina
- Sykes's WarblerIduna rama
- Yellow-throated SparrowGymnoris xanthocollis
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogon
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Ortolan buntingEmberiza hortulana
- White-throated robinIrania gutturalis
- Streaked Scrub WarblerScotocerca inquieta
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Desert wheatearOenanthe deserti
- Eastern Olivaceous WarblerIduna pallida
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
Other birds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White-breasted KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensis
- Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Black FrancolinFrancolinus francolinus
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eaterMerops persicus
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- CootFulica atra
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Egyptian NightjarCaprimulgus aegyptius
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Indian RollerCoracias benghalensisNT
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Asian Green Bee-eaterMerops orientalis
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- WryneckJynx torquilla
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from March to April.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan18°/5°30 mm
- Feb21°/7°19 mm
- Mar28°/12°16 mm
- Apr34°/18°14 mm
- May41°/24°6 mm
- Jun46°/29°2 mm
- Jul48°/31°2 mm
- Aug48°/31°0 mm
- Sep44°/26°0 mm
- Oct36°/21°10 mm
- Nov26°/12°27 mm
- Dec20°/7°29 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Hawizeh Marshes.
Swamp in Iraq and Iran
Hawizeh Marshes is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Iran.
177 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 2,018 open records.
The most recorded are the Little Egret, the White-breasted Kingfisher and the Microcarbo pygmaeus.
31 species come for the summer, 50 for the winter and 9 only pass through.
4 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, Curlew Sandpiper and European Turtle Dove.
The most species are recorded from March to April.
Get there and watch
- Qasem Soleimani International Airport (AWZ)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 103 km in a straight lineCar hire at KWI airport (Kuwait City)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
- car parks within 3 km
- restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- campsites within 10 km
- places to stay within 10 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Hawizeh Marshes.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Lakeyas1 lakes within 15 kmHawr Umm an Ni‘āj90 km² · 10 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Other places nearby.
Hawizeh Marshes
Iran
- 71Birdyas Score
- 177Species
- 90Migrants
- 4Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q3892852) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 2,018 open bird records within 15 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Lakeyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
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viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
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