Eurasian curlew: Red Data Book of Armenia

Sandpipers - Scolopacidae

Status. A rare species of rapidly decreasing population in Armenia. Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 3.1) as Near Threatened NT. According to IUCN criteria categorized as Vulnerable VU A2b.

Distribution. Distributed from the British Isles to Baltic countries, Europe, Crimea, Caucasus, Mongolia. Winters in North Africa, tropical Africa, Gulf of Persia, India, China.

Distribution in Armenia. Occurs during the spring and autumn migrations in the Lake Sevan basin and the wetlands of the Ararat Valley.

Habitats. Swamps, open meadows, wetlands, shorelines.

Biological traits. Nestles in riparian vegetation. Eggs are light greenish, 4/clutch, size 65–66 mm. The brooding period is 26–28 days. Hatchlings grow up fast and can fly after one and a half months.

Population size and its trends. No special research was carried out.

Major threats. Uncontrolled hunting and poaching during migrations.

Conservation measures. Protected in Sevan National Park. It is essential to curb uncontrolled hunting, strengthen anti–poaching activities and to estimate population size during migrations.