Active life is finishing on reserve plots with the approach of winter. 
Migrating birds have flown away, burrow animals come out seldom. You won’t see any insects, frogs and snakes either.
The season of swimming bird migration on our lakes has finished. Nature has added 1 more year to other millions of years when lakes Ulug-Kol, Bele and Shira have been honestly ‘working” as a transit rest place for many thousands birds which migrate along Enisey (Central-Asian) migration route.
It should be noted that these lakes are water-marshy areas international importance and two of them are also Key Ornithological Areas. What is it and how important it is for The State Natural Reserve “Khakassky” (or The Zapovednik “Khakassky”)?
Key Ornithological Areas are the most significant areas for any bird well being. Not any place, birds inhabit can be recognized as Key one. Special criteria, universal for the whole world have been developed for this area identification.
The areas can quality for the international status only under the following conditions:
- one of the species inhabiting on the plot is in critical situation and its existence “hand by a thread”
- or big part of population of at least 1 of 23 globally endangered species inhabits this area;
- or this territory is responsible for existence of endemic species;
- or not less then 1% of total numbers of water-swimming or near-water birds are concentrated on this plot.
There is no doubt the demands are strict, nevertheless Russia has such territories. Two of them are part of Zapovednic “Khakassky” and they are pride of all people in Khakassia. The first one is “The Shallow strait of Lake Bele”. Second is the lake Ulug-Kol.
Every year in April these areas are covered flocks of migration birds. What a variety species you can see at these days! Ducks, gooses, cranes, sundpipers – about 32 species all together of water-swimming birds stay in The Reserve “Khakassky” a short period. Five of these species are included in The Russian “Red Book” of Animals and 15 of them are included in “The Khakassian” one.
When it gets warm the most “visitors” fly away further to the North where are summer nest places, however some of them stay.
Steppe lakes had become their home earlier than people came here. Now when these plots became protected much more birds prefer to stay here for summer. Research carried out by our stuff member B. Nalobin has shown increase of quantity of such rare birds as demoiselle, grey crane, shelduck. On the Ulug-Kol you can observe grey egret, ruddy shelduck, mallard duck, pintail, diving duck, avocet, other cobs and sandpipers. The same is true for “The Shallow strait of Lake Bele”.
Some of these species stay on our plots all summer long until they have to leave; others build their nests and bring up their young. Both kinds of birds are important elements of biodiversity of the Zapovednik’s water-marshy areas. And as for as the Zapovednik “Khakassky” is the part of Khakassia territory consequently it is important elements of biodiversity of Khakassia too. In autumn life becomes active again and it is developing at grate rate on Key Ornithological Areas. Migrating birds start flying back South and again land on the reserve lakes. Summer migrations pass different from 1 year to another. One year many thousands of birds may fly through Khakassia. If that happens surface of our lakes are “hidden” under countless flocks of swans, gooses, ducks and cranes. But another year may be very quiet. Small separate flocks (50-200 birds each) descend on the water. And this autumn was quiet also. Just once – October, 28 2008 – rather big flock of swans landed by the lake Ulug-Kol. Nearly 2000 the most beautiful birds spent a few hours on the water. There were also about 20 gooses, 30-50 cranes, 50-100 ducks on “The Shallow strait of Lake Bele”.
Now both “The Shallow strait of Lake Bele” and lake Ulug-Kol are covered with ice and it looks deserted. The Key Ornithological Areas have become empty until the next spring. All the birds have flown south and their survival depends on people there.
Migrating birds are our common treasure. Unlike those species that don’t migrate they visit a lot of other countries during their life. Their destiny depends on many factors and conditions in those countries they stay:
· political situation and policies,
· ecology,
· transit rest areas,
· poachers and etc.
We are all responsible for these birds. Everyone on their land must create favorable conditions for them. Only under these conditions we can expect these beautiful and brave creatures come back and bring beauty and sense to our lives.
Elena Kim,
deputy director of the State Natural Reserve “Khakassky”
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