Ornithologist Ilgizar Rakhimov commented on the migratory patterns of birds in Tatarstan.

Overall, there are over 300 species of birds which live in Tatarstan, and most of them are migratory.

“We are now observing an active incoming traffic of birds. The first batch arrived earlier, before March snowstorms – those are rooks, starlings, larks and buntings. Rooks have already sat on nests. Greenfinches, gray and silver gulls also arrive before ice melting. Black-headed gulls should be here any minute, and waterfowl is due to come soon as well,” said Professor Rakhimov.

Finally, flycatchers and swallows will arrive in May, as well as swifts and cuckoos, which are the latest to return north.

Surprisingly, some avians are brave enough to spend winters in Russia, such as bullfinches, waxwings and redpolls. The latter are often confused with sparrows.

“It’s incorrect to say that birds migrate south. Some of them move to the east, and some to the west, to the places where populations have formed, for example, Central Asia, China, South Africa, or India,” added the expert.

As for ducks, they can overwinter in our region if they find open water.

Source text: Rufina Gimaletdinova

Translation: Yury Nurmeev