International Single Species Action Plan for the ... - AEWA

AEWA Technical Series No. 36 - Annexes
Supporting information to use in conjunction with the table
The following is a summary of the most up-to-date information available on the status and
trends of Lesser White-fronted Goose in each country, divided into Principal Range States
(i.e. those countries that are known regularly to support breeding, moulting, staging or
wintering Lesser White-fronted Geese) and other countries of the AEWA Agreement Area
and European Union (i.e. where the species is currently a rare visitor or vagrant).
(a) Principal Range States
Azerbaijan
Vernacular name: Ahgash gaz
UNEP/WCMC 2004 summarised the species status as: “A winter visitor recorded from the
coast, Kizil Agach and the Kura River lowlands (Lorentsen et al., 1999; Shelton, 2001). A
total of 1,085 individuals were counted in a survey conducted in 1996 and it was suggested
that the wintering population varied between 1,500 and 7,000 (Aarvak et al., 1996; Paynter,
1996). About 25,000 birds were reported in 1978, 1980 and 1982/83 but the numbers steadily
declined in subsequent winters (Morozov and Poyarkov, 1997; Tkachenko, 1997)”.
The species’ present status is unclear, owing to a lack of systematic count data. However, it
seems likely that the country may remain an important wintering site for the Western main
population, given that in March 2001 large staging flocks were found in the Kyzyl Agach area
(565 birds) and in the Ag-Gel Zapovednik (1,800 - 2,000 birds). In both cases the Lesser
White-fronts were observed in mixed flocks with Greater White-fronted and Greylag Goose
feeding on meadow vegetation. A calling bird was heard at Lake Shorgel and 6 individuals
were seen at Divichi Lima, indicating that these areas may also be important sites for that
species (Heinicke & Ryslavy 2002).
A satellite-tagged bird of the Western main subpopulation, ringed in the Polar Ural region of
northern Russia in August 2004, staged in Azerbaijan for several days in November 2004
before continuing its migration, via eastern Turkey, to winter in Iraq. (source:
www.piskulka.net/Satellite tracking.htm)
Bulgaria (EU)
Vernacular name: Malka belochela gaska
A 1996 survey estimated the total number of Lesser White-fronts in Bulgaria as 30-40
(Aarvak et al. 1996), whereas Petkov et al. (1999) estimated a total of 100 birds.
Lesser White-fronts occur regularly in small numbers at traditional goose staging and
wintering sites on the Black Sea coast, notably at Lake Shabla and Lake Durankulak, both of
which are Ramsar Sites and Important Bird Areas. However, recent count data are inadequate
for these sites to qualify as IBAs for Lesser White-fronted Goose (S. Nagy/BirdLife
International, pers comm), hence they are not listed in Annex 3. The last adequate count was
conducted in 1998 by a BirdLife Bulgaria/BirdLife Norway team, which estimated some 100
birds present in the area of Shabla and Durankulak Lakes. In recent years there has been no
targeted count or research for this species. Goose counts are made only during the morning
when the birds leave roosting sites and this does not allow identification of LWfG among the
tens of thousands Greater White-fronts. However, casual birdwatchers regularly report the
species (e.g. in February/March 2005, some 3 to 5 birds were identified in a flock of 1,200
Greater White-fronts at Durankulak Lake), suggesting that over 100 may occur when flocks
International Single Species Action Plan Lesser White-fronted Goose –Annexes
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