Shorebirds of the wetland of Gomishan, Iran

The first year-round monthly shorebird census of the wetland of Gomishan, Iran, carried out in 1999 recorded 26 species with total numbers ranging from 130 in June to 10,358 in February. The site is shown to be of international importance for the Black-tailed Godwit, which was the most abundant species, with a peak count of 3,500 in September. Up to 2,500 Red-necked Phalaropes and 2,500 Eurasian Golden Plovers occurred during spring passage, but neither species was recorded in autumn. January counts indicate that some species declined during 1994–2000, probably as a result of habitat degradation. Conservation problems and actions to deal with them are discussed.