Indoor Program – Armenia: Rich Birdlife in an Ancient Landscape – Judith Benka

(NOTE: This is a virtual presentation; the Zoom link will be sent to members via the NHBC email group)

Armenia is a landlocked country surrounded by Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. It has a total area of just under 12,000 square miles, mostly mountainous, and from time immemorial has been a migration route for birds between the European continent and places south of the Transcaucasus. Considering Armenia’s small size, its birds are highly diverse. A total of 346 species, resident and migrant, have been observed within its borders. We spent 10 days in Armenia in the summer of 2018. We visited a variety of habitats including semi-desert, forest, lakeshore, and mountain meadow. This presentation will cover many of the 139 species of birds we encountered. Often we birded at sites of historical and cultural importance, such as a medieval fortress, a caravanserai on the silk road, and a prehistoric stone circle. In addition to our British tour leader/bird guide and local Armenian bird guide, we were fortunate to have an Armenian cultural guide. Since Armenia is a relatively unknown travel destination, I shall include photographs of some of the sites we visited, the various landscapes, some plants and butterflies, and briefly mention other topics of interest such as food and accommodation. Judith Benka is a member of the Minnesota Global Birders.