Protected and Endangered Birds in Ukraine: Red Book Species and Conservation

Ukraine protects dozens of bird species under its Red Data Book, including such iconic birds as the Great Bustard, the Little Bustard, the Black-winged Stilt, both pelican species, the white and black storks, several heron, swan, gull and duck species, as well as cranes and the spoonbill. Many of these are migratory birds that nest on Ukrainian territory and are now subject to full legal protection because of sharply declining numbers.

Wildlife protection is now an international undertaking carried out by scientists and specialists from many countries. The Standing Commission for the Conservation of Rare and Endangered Animal Species, part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, published the Red Data Book in 1963, listing all wild animal species requiring special protection. A number of these species also occur in Ukraine, a country whose varied landscape — steppes in the south, the Carpathian Mountains in the west, the Polissia forests in the north, and the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov — supports an exceptionally rich bird fauna.

Which birds are protected in Ukraine?

The birds protected in Ukraine are those whose populations have fallen to the point where uncontrolled hunting or habitat loss threatens their survival, and they are formally listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Protected groups span several taxonomic orders: cranes (Gruiformes), bustards, waders and shorebirds (Charadriiformes), pelicans and herons, storks, waterfowl and ducks (Anatidae), and a wide range of gulls. For each of these, hunting is banned and nesting, migration and wintering sites are safeguarded.

Reasons for the decline in numbers of animals and birds

One of the chief reasons for the declining numbers of individual animal and bird species is human economic activity. Some species were once subjected to uncontrolled, intensive hunting, leading to their complete or near-complete extermination, while the numbers of others fell because of large-scale conversion of land for agriculture and industry, the intensification of farming, deforestation and other pressures.

During the 19th century alone, 70 species of wild animals disappeared from the planet's fauna, and in the first half of the 20th century about 40 more species were wiped out. Worldwide, roughly 600 species of animals and birds are currently under threat of extinction.

The impact of human economic activity on birds

Human economic activity affects birds through habitat destruction, pollution and direct disturbance. Draining wetlands, ploughing virgin steppe, felling old-growth forest and intensifying agriculture all remove the nesting and feeding sites that protected birds depend on. Marine and coastal species face additional threats: oil spills and pollution damage the breeding and feeding grounds along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, while collisions and displacement at poorly sited wind farms add to mortality — which is why wind farm impact assessment on birds is now a standard part of conservation planning. Armed conflict and war compound these pressures, disrupting protected areas, contaminating habitats and interrupting long-term monitoring. The legacy of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster likewise reshaped wildlife across northern Ukraine.

Historical fashion did direct damage too. In the early 20th century the craze for decorating ladies' hats with "aigrettes" — the long plumes of the Great White Egret — almost drove that beautiful bird to extinction, a reminder of how quickly demand can collapse a population.

The impact of climate change on bird populations

Climate change is shifting the timing of migration, the location of suitable habitat and the productivity of breeding sites for Ukrainian birds. Changing precipitation patterns alter water levels in the lagoons, estuaries and lakes where waterbirds nest, and warmer winters change which species linger on the Black Sea bays rather than migrating further south. Because many protected species arrive on a tight seasonal schedule — bustards in March, stilts and egrets in April — even small mismatches between arrival dates and food availability can reduce breeding success. The European Union supports research and habitat work addressing these shifts through its climate and nature protection funding.

The Red Data Book of Ukraine and bird conservation

The Red Data Book of Ukraine is the country's official register of rare and endangered species and the legal basis for their protection, documenting conservation status and prohibiting hunting of listed birds. Many migratory birds nesting in Ukraine are included precisely because their numbers have fallen sharply, and the listing obliges authorities to safeguard nesting sites, migration routes and wintering grounds. Conservation status documentation in the Red Data Book works alongside international frameworks and the network of protected reserves to give listed species lasting protection.

Conservation status categories for birds (SPEC)

SPEC categories — Species of European Conservation Concern — are a classification developed by BirdLife International to rank bird species by how much of their global population and range falls within Europe and how threatened they are. The system divides birds into categories from SPEC 1 (species of global conservation concern) through SPEC 2 and SPEC 3 (concentrated in or unfavourable within Europe) to non-SPEC species with a favourable status. Several birds protected in Ukraine, such as the Aquatic Warbler, carry high SPEC ratings, which helps prioritise where monitoring and habitat management are most urgently needed.

Ukraine's international obligations for bird protection

Ukraine's bird conservation is shaped by international commitments as well as national law, aligning the country with pan-European standards through organisations such as BirdLife International and data networks like GBIF. These obligations require Ukraine to identify and protect key sites, to monitor populations consistently with European methods, and to share standardised biodiversity data. The Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB), also referred to as the Ukrainian Society for Bird Conservation, serves as the national partner linking domestic conservation to the wider European framework.

EU Council Directive 2009/147/EC (Annex I) and protected species

Council Directive 2009/147/EC, known as the Birds Directive, is the European Union law on the conservation of wild birds, adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council. Its Annex I lists species — the Annex I Protected Bird Species — that require special habitat conservation measures, including the designation of protected areas. Many birds occurring in Ukraine, among them pelicans, egrets, storks and the Aquatic Warbler, correspond to Annex I species, so aligning Ukrainian protection with Birds Directive compliance is central to cross-border conservation around the Black Sea and the Danube Delta.

The complete list of protected birds of Ukraine

The complete list of protected birds of Ukraine includes migratory species that nest on Ukrainian territory and are entered in the Red Data Book. The following species are protected:

• Common Crane,
• Demoiselle Crane,
• Great Bustard,
• Little Bustard,
• Black-winged Stilt,
• Pied Avocet,
• Eurasian Oystercatcher,
• Great White Pelican,
• Dalmatian Pelican,
• Eurasian Spoonbill,
• Glossy Ibis,
• White Stork,
• Black Stork,
• Great White Egret,
• Little Egret,
• Cattle Egret,
• Squacco Heron,
• Greater Flamingo,
• Mute Swan,
• Whooper Swan,
• Common Shelduck,
• Ruddy Shelduck,
• Common Merganser,
• Smew,
• Red-breasted Merganser,
• Black-legged Kittiwake,
• Great Black-backed Gull,
• Lesser Black-backed Gull,
• Common Gull,
• Mediterranean Gull,
• Slender-billed Gull,
• Little Gull,
• Glaucous Gull,
• Eurasian Collared Dove, and others.

Migratory birds nesting on Ukrainian territory

Migratory birds that nest in Ukraine and are listed in the Red Data Book arrive in spring, breed during the summer and depart again before winter, which makes their nesting and stopover sites critical to protect. They span several taxonomic groups, from waders and shorebirds to herons, storks, waterfowl and gulls, and each carries its own arrival and departure schedule. The species accounts below describe the most distinctive of these protected birds in detail.

Great Bustard

The Great Bustard is a very large, powerfully built bird. Today it occurs in small numbers in the steppe regions of southern Ukraine. It is an inhabitant of steppes and semi-deserts.

Description of the Great Bustard

Its weight reaches 12 kg and body length up to 1 m. The head, upper breast and part of the upper wing surface are ash-grey, while the back feathers are rusty-yellow with transverse black bars. The underparts are yellowish-white. The head is comparatively large, the bill short and dark-grey, and the legs long and greenish-brown. Great Bustard

The bustard arrives in Ukraine in March or early April. It keeps to virgin steppe plots and to grain fields. A gregarious bird, it is extremely wary. It lays 2–3 eggs in a nest set on the ground in a small hollow. Before laying, courtship lekking takes place. Hunting is prohibited; the species is fully protected and is included in the Red Data Book.

Little Bustard

The Little Bustard also belongs to the bustard family. In Ukraine it is a very rare bird, found only at a few sites in the protected Striltsivskyi Steppe, in the Syvash area and along the Sea of Azov coast.

Description of the Little Bustard

It differs from the Great Bustard in its smaller size (length 50 cm) and its colouring. The head is large and the tail short. The upper head, body and wings are mottled, with brown, grey, ochre and white predominating. The male has a black neck with a white ring. The underparts are white, with matte white feathers tipped dark-brown. The eyes are brownish-yellow, the bill grey and the legs straw-yellow. Little Bustard

It arrives to breed in April, placing its nest in a deep scrape and laying on average 3–4 eggs. Before nesting, the males also lek. It is included in the Red Data Book, and hunting is prohibited.

Black-winged Stilt

The Black-winged Stilt (long-legged wader) is a member of the plover family. It lives along the shores of brackish and freshwater lakes and estuaries and on the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Description of the Black-winged Stilt

Of medium size, its body length reaches 35 cm and its weight does not exceed 150 g. The upperparts and nape are black, the underparts white with a delicate pinkish tinge. Its very long, three-toed legs project far beyond the tail tip in flight. The bill is straight, thin and dark, and the eyes are carmine-red. Black-winged Stilt

It walks slowly in large strides yet moves about quite quickly. It arrives in spring, in the second half of April, building nests in natural depressions in the soil. During the breeding season it performs "dances" — leaps with outspread wings. Owing to its small numbers it is subject to protection.

Pied Avocet

The Pied Avocet also belongs to the plover family. It lives near small brackish lakes on the northern coast of the Black Sea.

Description of the Pied Avocet

A large wader, its body length reaches 45 cm and weight up to 350 g. The crown, shoulders and most of the wings are black; the rest of the plumage is white. The legs are long, thin, four-toed and bluish.

The bill is black, very long, thin and upturned like an awl. The eyes are reddish-brown. Pied Avocet

It arrives in Ukraine in mid-March and settles in small colonies. It builds nests in shallow scrapes lined with dry grass. Very wary and restless, it feeds on worms, small crustaceans, snails and other small aquatic organisms. It is protected, and hunting is prohibited.

Eurasian Oystercatcher

The Eurasian Oystercatcher is a large, handsome wader. It nests along the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, inhabiting sandy spits. Very agile and a good swimmer, it has appeared on the Kyiv Reservoir.

Description of the Eurasian Oystercatcher

Body length 35–40 cm, weight up to 500 g. The head and upperparts are black, the underparts white, with a white band running along the wings. It resembles a magpie. The bill is long, thin, wedge-shaped and red.

The eyes are bright red with an orange rim. The legs are three-toed, of medium length and dark red. Eurasian Oystercatcher

In a number of localities it is becoming rare. Hunting is not currently banned, but to prevent a sharp drop in numbers the oystercatcher should be taken under protection.

Great White Pelican

The Great White Pelican belongs to the order Pelecaniformes but to its own family, the pelicans. It is a rare visitor to Ukraine, nesting in the mouth of the Danube.

Description of the Great White Pelican

A large bird, it reaches 1.5 to 1.8 m in length, with a wingspan up to 2.5 m and weight up to 10–11 kg. The plumage is white with a pinkish tinge, and the flight feathers are brown. The eyes are bright red, with bare yellow skin around them. The bill, up to 30–45 cm long, is massive and greyish, with a stretchable yellow skin pouch on the lower mandible.

The neck is long and slender and the head small, bearing a crest of long rounded feathers. The legs are short and light red, the long toes joined by large swimming webs. Great White Pelican

It arrives in mid-April, nesting on lakes and marshes densely overgrown with reeds. It breeds in colonies, sometimes very large. In late April or early May it lays 2–3 small eggs with a bluish tinge; the chicks hatch after about 37–40 days. The species is protected everywhere.

Dalmatian Pelican

The Dalmatian Pelican does not stop to breed in Ukraine, but in rare cases it strays into the southern regions.

Description of the Dalmatian Pelican

Larger than the Great White Pelican, it reaches 1.8 m in length, with a wingspan up to 3 m and weight up to 12–13 kg. The plumage is white with a greyish cast, and the main flight feathers are blackish-brown. The back of the neck and the head bear elongated curly feathers. The eyes are white with a silvery sheen.

The bill is greyish-yellow above, and the skin throat pouch is dark red. The legs, as in the Great White Pelican, are short but coloured a greyish-dark shade. Dalmatian Pelican

It is fully protected along its migration routes. Both pelican species, owing to their declining numbers, are included in the Red Data Book.

Eurasian Spoonbill

The Eurasian Spoonbill belongs to the order Ciconiiformes, family Threskiornithidae (ibises). It nests in the estuarine sections of the Danube.

Description of the Eurasian Spoonbill

The bird is 80 cm long, with a wingspan a little under one and a half metres and weight up to 1.7 kg. The plumage is snow-white except for the crop and head crest, which are light-yellow. The bill is long and flat with a spatula-like widening at the tip, coloured black with a yellow end. The eyes are bright red and the legs black. Eurasian Spoonbill

It arrives to breed in late February or early March, keeping to lakes and marshes near the sea coast. It builds nests in trees and shrubs or in reed beds, usually nesting in colonies. About mid-May the female lays 3–4 eggs. A very beautiful, rare bird, it is strictly protected.

Glossy Ibis

The Glossy Ibis belongs to the same order and family as the spoonbill. In appearance it resembles a curlew, especially in the size and shape of its bill. In Ukraine it nests only in the Dniester and Danube floodlands.

Description of the Glossy Ibis

A medium-sized bird, with body length about 60 cm, wingspan up to 1 m and weight about 0.6 kg. The plumage is reddish-brown, with the wing and tail feathers dark-greenish with a purple metallic gloss; the forehead and crown feathers are the same colour. The bill and legs are greenish-brown and the eyes brown. The bill, 10–14 cm long, curves downward. Glossy Ibis

It arrives in late March or early April and departs south in August–September. It builds nests amid secluded lakes and oxbows in reed and rush beds and on islands. The clutch consists of 3–5 greenish-blue eggs. It usually nests in colonies, often beside cormorants and herons.

A few decades ago it was hunted intensively, which ultimately led to a significant decline in its stocks. It is protected, especially at its nesting sites, and hunting is prohibited.

White Stork

The White Stork is familiar to almost the entire population of the southern and south-western districts of Ukraine. It nests almost everywhere.

Description of the White Stork

A large bird, its body length is more than 1 m, with a wingspan up to 2.2 m and weight about 4 kg. Almost the whole body is dingy-white, except for the black scapular, flight and part of the upper covert feathers. The eyes are brown and the bill and legs red. White Stork

It arrives in March, usually living in villages and settlements. It builds nests on house roofs and on large free-standing trees, constructing them from branches and twigs and lining them with soft material — hay, dry dung, tufts of grass and feathers. It lays 4–5 eggs. A very wary bird, it takes off from the ground after a short run.

In flight the neck and legs are extended, and it can soar in the air for long periods. Its departure south is observed from late August to mid-September. It is not a game bird; because of its considerable aesthetic value and economic usefulness it is protected everywhere.

Black Stork

The Black Stork nests in the forests of the Carpathians and in the Polissia regions, mostly in old, remote forest tracts, invariably near marshes or boggy places.

Description of the Black Stork

A large, very beautiful bird. Body length about 1 m, wingspan up to 2 m, weight about 8 kg. The head, neck, the whole upperparts and the tail are blackish-brown with a fine greenish gloss. The underparts are white. The eyes, bill and legs are red. Black Stork

It arrives in mid- or late April. In the mountainous areas of the Carpathians it may build nests on cliffs. The clutch usually contains three to five eggs. Unlike the White Stork, it avoids settlements. It is protected as a rare species, and it is advisable to keep the old-forest tracts it uses for nesting safe from felling.

Great White Egret

The herons belong to the order Ciconiiformes, family Ardeidae. In Ukraine the Great White Egret occurs in the lower reaches of the Danube, Dniester and Dnipro River.

Description of the Great White Egret

A large bird, with body length a little over 1 m and wingspan up to 1.9 m. The plumage is dazzling white, with a crest of two or three very long feathers on the nape. The scapular plumes — "aigrettes" — also become very long and fluffed in spring during the courtship displays, hanging from the sides of the body and reaching beyond the tail.

The eyes are yellow and the legs dark-grey, almost black. In the early 20th century the fashion for decorating ladies' hats with "aigrettes" nearly led to the complete extermination of this beautiful bird. Great White Egret

It arrives at the end of April. It nests in colonies, building nests in trees and shrubs near water bodies or in dense reed and bulrush beds. The clutch consists of three or four greenish-blue eggs. It departs for wintering in the second half or end of September. It is protected in almost every country.

Little Egret

The Little Egret is smaller than the Great White Egret. It settles in colonies in reed-, tree- and shrub-grown plots near water bodies in the lower reaches of the Danube, Dniester and Dnipro.

Description of the Little Egret

Body length up to 0.5 m, weight about 0.5 kg. The bird's colouring is snow-white. In the male's breeding dress there are two very long feathers on the nape; the shoulder feathers, as in the Great White Egret, are fluffed and elongated. The neck is very thin. The bill is long and black, and the legs are likewise black. Little Egret

It arrives around the second half of April and departs in September. It builds nests mostly in trees, laying 3–4 light-bluish eggs with a greenish tinge. Owing to its low numbers it is taken under full protection.

Cattle Egret

The Cattle Egret appears very rarely; during migration single individuals are encountered in Crimea.

Description of the Cattle Egret

The Cattle Egret is of medium body size, somewhat smaller than the Little Egret. Body length about 40 cm, weight up to 0.4 kg. The plumage is almost entirely white, except for the elongated feathers on the head, back and part of the neck, which are ochre-pinkish.

The bill is bright yellow, red at the base. There is a red ring around the eyes. The neck is shorter than in the other heron species. The legs are dark red. Cattle Egret

The numbers of the Cattle Egret are extremely unstable owing to the impact of human economic activity. Strict protection is needed on migration and at nesting and wintering sites. It is included in the Red Data Book.

Squacco Heron

The Squacco Heron is found in the Danube, Dniester and Dnipro floodlands.

Description of the Squacco Heron

The Squacco Heron is about half the size of the ordinary Grey Heron. Body length reaches 0.5 m and wingspan 0.8 m. The feathers of the upper part and sides of the head and neck are light rusty-yellow. From the crown begin ribbon-like elongated feathers forming a mane-like crest.

The upperparts are yellowish-ochre and the wings and tail white. The bill is long, relatively thick, yellowish-blue, black at the tip. The eyes are light-yellow and the legs brown. Squacco Heron

It arrives to breed in the second half or end of April, settling along the shores of water bodies and shallows among reed beds or in trees. It nests mostly in colonies, laying 4–5 greenish eggs. It departs for wintering chiefly during the first half of September. Owing to its small numbers it is protected at nesting sites and on migration.

Greater Flamingo

The Greater Flamingo is a very rare visitor to Ukraine.

Description of the Greater Flamingo

The flamingo belongs to the order Phoenicopteriformes. In Ukraine one species occurs — the Greater Flamingo. A large bird, with body length up to 1.3 m, wingspan up to 1.7 m and weight more than 4 kg. The plumage is white with a delicate pinkish tinge, the wing feathers bright pink and the flight feathers black.

The bill is pink at the base and black at the tip. The legs are very long and bright red. Greater Flamingo

Owing to its low numbers it is protected at nesting and wintering sites and along its migration routes. It is included in the Red Data Book.

Mute Swan

The Mute Swan nests in Ukraine in the estuarine sections of the Dniester and Danube. During migration it occurs in the central regions of the country, and it winters in the bays of the Black Sea.

Description of the Mute Swan

The Mute Swan belongs to the order Anseriformes, family Anatidae. A large bird with an elongated body, it is 1.8 m long, with a wingspan up to 2.5 m and weight 8–12 kg. The neck is long and thin, and the bill equal in length to the head. At the base of the bill is a knob-like growth. The plumage is pure white.

The bill is red, the knob on it black. The eyes are brownish and the legs red. Mute Swan

It arrives to breed in March–April and departs for wintering in mid-October. It appears at its Black Sea wintering grounds in late October or early November. It builds nests in secluded spots along the shores of water bodies or on small islets. Very wary. Because of its declining numbers and aesthetic value, this beautiful bird is fully protected.

Whooper Swan

The Whooper Swan nests very rarely in Ukraine and occurs as a passage species on the sea coasts. A significant proportion winters in the bays of the Black Sea.

Description of the Whooper Swan

Unlike the previous species, the Whooper Swan has a stockier build. The neck is shorter and thicker. The bill is somewhat swollen at the base but lacks a knob. Body length 1.6 m, wingspan up to 2.5 m, weight 6–10 kg. The plumage is entirely white. The bill is yellow with a black tip. The legs are black. Whooper Swan

It also differs from the Mute Swan in its louder, more resonant voice. The Whooper Swan arrives for wintering in October and is encountered on the spring migration in March. It is protected along migration routes and at wintering sites, requiring particular attention in severe, cold winters.

Common Shelduck

The Common Shelduck nests on the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Description of the Common Shelduck

The Common Shelduck is larger than the Mallard. Body length 0.6 m, wingspan more than 1 m, weight up to 1.5 kg. The plumage is very varied. The head and neck are dark green; the middle of the back, upper breast, sides, upper wing feathers and tail feathers are white; the front of the back is dark-rusty, with two large dark patches on the shoulders.

The tips of the tail feathers are black; a broad dark-rusty band crosses the breast; the centre of the breast, the belly and the flight feathers are greyish-black. The wing speculum is greenish-black with a metallic gloss. The eyes are brown. The bill is pinkish, with a red knob at the base (absent in females). The legs are pink. Common Shelduck

It arrives to breed in the first half of March, building nests in old burrows on the shores of estuaries and on islands. The clutch consists of 7–12 large white eggs. The ducklings begin to swim on the second day after hatching. The bird departs for wintering at the end of September. It is protected.

Ruddy Shelduck

The Ruddy Shelduck nests in small numbers in Crimea and the southern regions; elsewhere it occurs very rarely on migration.

Description of the Ruddy Shelduck

The Ruddy Shelduck is the size of a Mallard. Body length 60 cm, wingspan 1.2 m, weight up to 1.5 kg. The overall colouring is orange-chestnut, rusty-reddish; the head is light-ochre and the cheeks yellowish-white. The neck is rusty-yellow, with a greenish-black band on it (absent in females).

The upper and lower wing feathers are white. The wing tips and tail are glossy black. The speculum feathers are metallic green. The eyes are light-brown. The bill is black, with a small tooth at the tip. The legs are greyish-brown. Ruddy Shelduck

It arrives to breed in the second half of March or early April and departs for wintering at the end of October. It builds nests in burrows, soil cracks and sometimes in tree hollows. Very wary and shy, it lives in permanent pairs. The clutch contains 6–10 yellowish-white eggs.

The small numbers of this beautiful, rare duck make its full protection necessary at nesting sites and along migration routes. Hunting of this duck is prohibited.

Common Merganser

Three merganser species occur in Ukraine, mostly on migration. All belong to the family Anatidae.

Description of the Common Merganser

A bird larger than the Mallard. Body length 80 cm, wingspan 1.2 m, weight up to 2 kg. The head and upper neck are black-green with a metallic gloss. The upper back, front scapular feathers and wing edges are black. All the underparts and upper wing feathers are pale, reddish-yellow. The scapular feathers and speculum are white.

The feathers of the lower back are grey with fine wavy black bars. The eyes are yellow-reddish. The bill is long, laterally compressed and bright red. The legs are light red. Common Merganser

It does not nest in Ukraine but usually occurs on migration — in spring in April, in autumn at the end of November, sometimes in early December. Because of its declining numbers it is protected along migration routes.

Smew

The Smew, sometimes also called a pochard-like merganser, occurs in the mouth of the Danube and winters on the Black Sea coast. During migration it appears in almost all regions of the country.

Description of the Smew

In size it is about half the size of the Common Merganser. Body length 50 cm, wingspan 75 cm, weight 0.8–0.9 kg. The plumage is almost wholly white; the feathers between the eyes and bill and a band on the nape are black-green. The back, part of the wings and the bands on the shoulders are black. The flanks are greyish with black wavy bars.

The flight feathers are blackish-brown. There is a black-and-white crest on the nape. The eyes are grey with a bluish cast. The legs are grey-blue. The bill, shorter than in the other mergansers, tapers toward the tip and is grey. Smew

It arrives in spring in the first half of April and reaches its wintering grounds at the end of October. It nests mainly in tree hollows. Owing to its declining overall numbers it is protected at wintering sites and along migration routes.

Red-breasted Merganser

The Red-breasted Merganser nests in small numbers on the islands of the Black Sea, with insignificant numbers wintering.

Description of the Red-breasted Merganser

The Red-breasted Merganser is smaller than the Mallard, with body length 60 cm, wingspan 80–90 cm and weight up to 1.4 kg. The head and upper neck are brown; the upperparts dark-grey; the crop and side-of-neck feathers have grey transverse bars on a pale ground. In the male's spring dress the head and upper neck are black, forming a black crest with a greenish metallic gloss.

The back and scapular feathers are black. The lower back, rump, flanks and upper tail feathers are grey with black transverse wavy bars. The underparts are white. There is a broad white collar on the neck, and the speculum is white. The female has one black band across the speculum, the male two. The eyes are red-brown. The bill is dark red and the legs red. Red-breasted Merganser

It arrives in late March or early April, nesting on islands among grass and reeds and under bushes. It departs in October or early November. Owing to its declining numbers it is fully protected.

Black-legged Kittiwake

The Black-legged Kittiwake occurs rarely during autumn migration. All gulls belong to the order and family of the same name — the gulls.

Description of the Black-legged Kittiwake

A medium-sized bird. Body length 45 cm, wingspan 1 m, weight up to 0.5 kg. The feathers of the head, neck, lower back, tail and underparts are white; the back and wings grey, the flight feathers greyish-white, black at the tips. The eyes are brown, the eye rims bright red; the bill light-yellow; the legs black. Black-legged Kittiwake

It is fully protected. Shooting is prohibited.

Great Black-backed Gull

The Great Black-backed Gull is one of the largest gulls. It strays into Ukraine extremely rarely.

Description of the Great Black-backed Gull

Body length 70 cm, wingspan 1.7 m, weight up to 2.3 kg. The head, neck, lower back, tail and entire underparts are white. The front of the back and the wings are matte black. The flight-feather tips are white. The eyes are grey, silvery. The bill is dark-yellow, the end of the lower mandible red. The legs are greyish-yellow. Great Black-backed Gull

It is protected. Shooting is prohibited.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

The Lesser Black-backed Gull occurs only during autumn and spring migration.

Description of the Lesser Black-backed Gull

In colouring the Lesser Black-backed Gull closely resembles the Great Black-backed Gull but is smaller. Body length 60 cm, wingspan 1.4 m, weight 1.6 kg. The plumage of the back and upper wings is black, the flight feathers blackish-brown. Everything else is white. The bill is yellow; the legs bright yellow. Lesser Black-backed Gull

In spring it appears in March, in autumn from the second half of September to mid-October. It is protected along migration routes. Shooting is prohibited.

Common Gull

The Common Gull appears in Ukraine during migration.

Description of the Common Gull

The Common Gull is a medium-sized bird. Body length 45 cm, wingspan a little over 1 m, weight about 0.5 kg. The upper back and upper wings are bluish-grey. The flight feathers are grey, black at the tips and edged with white. All the rest of the plumage is white. The eyes are brown; the bill greyish-yellow; the legs greenish-yellow. Common Gull

In its way of life it is similar to the previous species. It is protected along migration routes.

Mediterranean (Black-headed) Gull

The Mediterranean Gull nests in the area of the Black Sea Nature Reserve, on the islands, where it can be numerous.

Description of the Mediterranean Gull

Body length 40 cm, wingspan 90 cm. The back and wings are light-grey. The first-row flight feathers have a black border. The neck, tail and underparts are white. The head is black, and the bill and legs are red. Mediterranean Gull

It arrives to breed in early April and departs in the second half of August. It builds nests in grass and forms colonies. It is protected; shooting is prohibited.

Slender-billed Gull

The Slender-billed Gull nests in small separate colonies on the islands of the Black Sea and in the Syvash area.

Description of the Slender-billed Gull

A medium-sized gull. Body length 45 cm, wingspan about 1 m, weight 300–400 g. The back is bluish-grey; the head, neck, tail and underparts are white. The flight feathers have a black border. The underparts have a pinkish-red tinge. The eyes are whitish with a pearly cast. The bill is thin and bright red. The legs are brownish-red. Slender-billed Gull

It arrives at the end of March and departs in the second half of September. It is protected at nesting sites and along migration routes; shooting is prohibited.

Little Gull

The Little Gull winters in small numbers on the Black Sea coast.

Description of the Little Gull

In size it is the smallest of all the gulls. Body length up to 30 cm, wingspan 70 cm. The upper back and wings are bluish-grey. The flight-feather tips are white. The head is black, the rest of the plumage white with a pinkish tinge on the underparts. The eyes are brown, the bill dark red, the legs bright red. Little Gull

During migration it occurs across almost the entire country — in spring in early May, in autumn in the second half of September. Owing to its small numbers this gull species is fully protected.

Glaucous Gull

The Glaucous Gull is a very rare bird, one of the largest gull species.

Description of the Glaucous Gull

Body length 75 cm, wingspan 1.7 m, weight up to 2.5 kg. The back and upper wings are bluish-white. The flight feathers are light-blue. All the rest of the plumage is white. The eyes are straw-yellow; the bill light-yellow with a red spot at the tip. The legs are also light-yellow. Glaucous Gull

A very rare bird, it is fully protected.

Eurasian Collared Dove

The Eurasian Collared Dove is a beautiful, ornamental bird that adorns the cultivated landscape it inhabits. It is easy to recognise in the wild and to distinguish from other wild doves by its small size, slender, graceful build and characteristic colouring.

Description of the Eurasian Collared Dove

The plumage of the crown and neck is brownish-grey with a noticeable pinkish tinge. A transverse black ring, bordered by white feathers, runs across the back of the neck. The feathers of the lower wing are white, and the underparts greyish-pink. The back, upper wings and tail are sandy-grey. The bill is black and the legs dark red. Eurasian Collared Dove

In Ukraine it was first recorded in 1944 in Transcarpathia. It has now spread to many towns and settlements of the western regions, on the right bank of the Dnipro, as far as Kyiv. The Eurasian Collared Dove is also expanding into the north and north-east of Ukraine. It was once protected, but at present nothing threatens it.

Bird monitoring in Ukraine

Bird monitoring in Ukraine is the systematic, repeated counting of bird populations to track changes in numbers, distribution and breeding success, and it underpins all conservation decisions. Long-term monitoring schemes have run in Ukraine since around 1980, coordinated through research institutions and volunteer fieldworkers, and they feed into pan-European data collection. The Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds, the Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station and academic bodies such as the I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine organise much of this work, while regional efforts like the West-Ukrainian Ornithological Society's "Monitoring of birds on the west of Ukraine" extend coverage across the country.

Methods for monitoring bird species

The core methods for monitoring bird species are line transects and point counts, supplemented by random plot selection to remove bias from where observers choose to count. In a line transect a fie