Birds

The most diverse avian community is concentrated in the delta front of the Ili River. In the half-century following the filling of the Kapchagai Reservoir, a unique wetland complex has emerged here, becoming a vital habitat for numerous bird species. The diversity of biotopes — ranging from dense reed beds to open water bodies and flooded meadows — provides favorable conditions for both sedentary and migratory species.

1. Little Grebe — Tachybaptus ruficollis
2. Black-necked Grebe — Podiceps nigricollis
3. Great Crested Grebe — Podiceps cristatus
4. Great White Pelican* — Pelecanus onocrotalus (RBK)
5. Dalmatian Pelican* — Pelecanus crispus (RBK, IUCN)
6. Great Cormorant — Phalacrocorax carbo
7. Eurasian Bittern — Botaurus stellaris
8. Little Bittern — Ixobrychus minutus
9. Black-crowned Night Heron — Nycticorax nycticorax
10. Great Egret — Ardea alba
11. Grey Heron — Ardea cinerea
12. Greylag Goose — Anser anser
13. Common Shelduck — Tadorna tadorna
14. Gadwall — Mareca strepera
15. Mallard — Anas platyrhynchos
16. Garganey — Spatula querquedula
17. Northern Shoveler — Spatula clypeata
18. Red-crested Pochard — Netta rufina
19. Common Pochard — Aythya ferina
20. Ferruginous Duck* — Aythya nyroca (RBK, IUCN)
21. Osprey* — Pandion haliaetus (RBK)
22. Pallas's Fish Eagle* — Haliaeetus leucoryphus (RBK, IUCN)
23. Western Marsh Harrier — Circus aeruginosus
24. Montagu's Harrier — Circus pygargus
25. Booted Eagle* — Hieraaetus pennatus (RBK)
26. Common Crane* — Grus grus (RBK)
27. Water Rail — Rallus aquaticus
28. Little Crake — Zapornia parva
29. Baillon's Crake — Zapornia pusilla
30. Common Moorhen — Gallinula chloropus
31. Eurasian Coot — Fulica atra
32. Kentish Plover — Charadrius alexandrinus
33. Black-winged Stilt — Himantopus himantopus
34. Pied Avocet — Recurvirostra avosetta
35. Eurasian Oystercatcher — Haematopus ostralegus
36. Green Sandpiper — Tringa ochropus
37. Marsh Sandpiper — Tringa stagnatilis
38. Common Redshank — Tringa totanus
39. Terek Sandpiper — Xenus cinereus
40. Red-necked Phalarope — Phalaropus lobatus
41. Collared Pratincole — Glareola pratincola
42. Pallas's Gull — Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
43. Black-headed Gull — Chroicocephalus ridibundus
44. Caspian Gull — Larus cachinnans
45. Gull-billed Tern — Gelochelidon nilotica
46. Common Tern — Sterna hirundo
47. Little Tern — Sternula albifrons
48. Black Tern — Chlidonias niger
49. Common Cuckoo — Cuculus canorus
50. Black-headed Wagtail — Motacilla feldegg
51. Citrine Wagtail — Motacilla citreola
52. Cetti's Warbler — Cettia cetti
53. Savi's Warbler — Locustella luscinioides
54. Paddyfield Warbler — Acrocephalus agricola
55. Eurasian Reed Warbler — Acrocephalus scirpaceus
56. Great Reed Warbler — Acrocephalus arundinaceus
57. Bluethroat — Luscinia svecica
58. Bearded Reedling — Panurus biarmicus
59. Common Reed Bunting — Emberiza schoeniclus

The territory of Altyn-Emel National Park serves as a vital link in the Central Asian Flyway. Seasonal migration routes for numerous species pass directly over this region, which is used by birds for extended stopovers and foraging. The presence of diverse habitats — ranging from open desert plains to the waters of the Ili River — attracts thousands of migratory individuals annually.

1. Black-throated Loon — Gavia arctica
2. Red-necked Grebe — Podiceps grisegena
3. Horned Grebe — Podiceps auritus
4. Eurasian Spoonbill* — Platalea leucorodia (RBK)
5. Taiga Bean Goose — Anser fabalis
6. Mute Swan — Cygnus olor
7. Whooper Swan* — Cygnus cygnus RBK)
8. Eurasian Wigeon — Mareca penelope
9. Eurasian Teal — Anas crecca
10. Northern Pintail — Anas acuta
11. Tufted Duck — Aythya fuligula
12. Long-tailed Duck — Clangula hyemalis
13. Velvet Scoter* — Melanitta fusca (RBK)
14. Common Goldeneye — Bucephala clangula
15. Smew — Mergellus albellus
16. Common Merganser — Mergus merganser
17. White-headed Duck* — Oxyura leucocephala (RBK, IUCN)
18. European Honey Buzzard — Pernis apivorus
19. Oriental Honey Buzzard — Pernis ptilorhynchus
20. Northern Goshawk — Accipiter gentilis
21. Eurasian Sparrowhawk — Accipiter nisus
22. Hen Harrier — Circus cyaneus
23. Pallid Harrier* — Circus macrourus (IUCN)
24. Rough-legged Buzzard — Buteo lagopus
25. Common Buzzard — Buteo buteo
26. Upland Buzzard — Buteo hemilasius
27. Greater Spotted Eagle — Clanga clanga
28. Steppe Eagle* — Aquila nipalensis (RBK)
29. Red-footed Falcon* — Falco vespertinus (IUCN)
30. Lesser Kestrel* — Falco naumanni (IUCN)
31. Merlin — Falco columbarius
32. Peregrine Falcon* — Falco peregrinus (RBK)
33. Demoiselle Crane* — Grus virgo (RBK)
34. Great Bustard* — Otis tarda (RBK, IUCN)
35. Pacific Golden Plover — Pluvialis fulva
36. Sociable Lapwing* — Vanellus gregarius (RBK, IUCN)
37. White-tailed Lapwing — Vanellus leucurus
38. Ruddy Turnstone — Arenaria interpres
39. Little Stint — Calidris minuta
40. Temminck's Stint — Calidris temminckii
41. Curlew Sandpiper — Calidris ferruginea
42. Dunlin — Calidris alpina
43. Ruff — Calidris pugnax
44. Jack Snipe — Lymnocryptes minimus
45. Solitary Snipe — Gallinago solitaria
46. Black-tailed Godwit* — Limosa limosa (IUCN)
47. Eurasian Curlew — Numenius arquata
48. Spotted Redshank — Tringa erythropus
49. Common Greenshank — Tringa nebularia
50. Wood Sandpiper — Tringa glareola
51. Common Gull — Larus canus
52. Glaucous Gull — Larus hyperboreus
53. Caspian Tern — Hydroprogne caspia
54. White-winged Tern — Chlidonias leucopterus
55. Stock Dove — Columba oenas
56. Hill Pigeon — Columba rupestris
57. Short-eared Owl — Asio flammeus
58. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater — Merops persicus
59. Eurasian Wryneck — Jynx torquilla
60. Sand Martin — Riparia riparia
61. Black Lark — Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
62. Western Yellow Wagtail — Motacilla flava
63. White Wagtail — Motacilla alba
64. Meadow Pipit — Anthus pratensis
65. Bohemian Waxwing — Bombycilla garrulus
66. Alpine Accentor — Prunella collaris
67. Black-throated Accentor — Prunella atrogularis
68. European Robin — Erithacus rubecula
69. Eversmann's Redstart — Phoenicurus erythronotus
70. Blue-capped Redstart — Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus
71. Black-throated Thrush — Turdus atrogularis
72. Fieldfare — Turdus pilaris
73. Blue Whistling Thrush — Myophonus caeruleus
74. Blyth's Reed Warbler — Acrocephalus dumetorum
75. Sykes's Warbler — Iduna caligata
76. Lesser Whitethroat — Curruca curruca
77. Common Chiffchaff — Phylloscopus collybita
78. Goldcrest — Regulus regulus
79. White-browed Tit-warbler — Leptopoecile sophiae
80. Spotted Flycatcher — Muscicapa striata
81. Long-tailed Tit — Aegithalos caudatus
82. Eurasian Penduline Tit — Remiz pendulinus
83. Black-headed Penduline Tit — Remiz macronyx
84. Wallcreeper — Tichodroma muraria
85. Eurasian Treecreeper — Certhia familiaris
86. Red-backed Shrike — Lanius collurio
87. Isabelline Shrike — Lanius isabellinus
88. Great Grey Shrike — Lanius excubitor
89. Daurian Jackdaw — Corvus dauuricus
90. Hooded Crow — Corvus cornix
91. Common Chaffinch — Fringilla coelebs
92. Brambling — Fringilla montifringilla
93. Plain Mountain Finch — Leucosticte nemoricola
94. Pink-browed Rosefinch — Carpodacus rhodochlamys
95. Long-tailed Rosefinch — Carpodacus sibiricus
96. European Goldfinch — Carduelis carduelis
97. Eurasian Siskin — Spinus spinus
98. Common Redpoll — Acanthis flammea
99. Twite — Linaria flavirostris
100. Eurasian Hawfinch — Coccothraustes coccothraustes
101. Yellowhammer — Emberiza citrinella
102. Pine Bunting — Emberiza leucocephala
103. Ortolan Bunting — Emberiza hortulana

The Ili River floodplain within the Altyn-Emel National Park is unique for its relict tugai ecosystems. These forest tracts, characterized by impenetrable thickets, served as a habitat for the Caspian tiger as recently as the early 20th century. Modern tugai forests are distinguished by their idiosyncratic flora and fauna. The dominant tree species forming the canopy are the turanga poplar and the sharp-fruited oleaster (jida). Despite the relatively low species richness, the ornithological complex of these forests is of particular scientific interest due to its narrow specialization and the high level of adaptation among its species.

1. Ruddy Shelduck — Tadorna ferruginea
2. Black Kite — Milvus migrans
3. White-tailed Eagle* — Haliaeetus albicilla (RBK)
4. Shikra — Accipiter badius
5. Common Kestrel — Falco tinnunculus
6. Semirechye Pheasant — Phasianus colchicus mongolicus
7. Yellow-eyed Pigeon* — Columba eversmanni (RBK, IUCN)
8. European Turtle Dove — Streptopelia turtur
9. Common Kingfisher — Alcedo atthis
10. Eurasian Hoopoe — Upupa epops
11. White-winged Woodpecker — Dendrocopos leucopterus
12. Common Nightingale — Luscinia megarhynchos
13. Sykes's Warbler — Iduna rama
14. Azure Tit — Cyanistes cyanus
15. Turkestan Tit — Parus bokharensis
16. Saxaul Sparrow — Passer ammodendri
17. European Greenfinch — Chloris chloris
18. Carrion Crow — Corvus corone

The plains of the Ili Depression are characterized by a mosaic of stony deserts, takyrs, salt flats, and sand massifs. These landscapes are home to the region's most characteristic desert and steppe avifauna, which have adapted to life in a harsh arid climate.

1. Short-toed Snake Eagle* — Circaetus gallicus (RBK)
2. Eastern Imperial Eagle* — Aquila heliaca (RBK, IUCN)
3. Long-legged Buzzard — Buteo rufinus
4. MacQueen's Bustard* — Chlamydotis macqueenii (RBK, IUCN)
5. Eurasian Stone-curlew — Burhinus oedicnemus
6. Greater Sand Plover — Charadrius leschenaultii
7. Black-bellied Sandgrouse* — Pterocles orientalis (RBK)
8. Pallas's Sandgrouse* — Syrrhaptes paradoxus (RBK)
9. Rock Dove — Columba livia
10. Eurasian Collared Dove — Streptopelia decaocto
11. Laughing Dove — Streptopelia senegalensis
12. Little Owl — Athene noctua
13. Eurasian Golden Oriole — Oriolus oriolus
14. Steppe Grey Shrike — Lanius pallidirostris
15. Long-tailed Shrike — Lanius schach
16. Turkestan Shrike — Lanius phoenicuroides
17. Brown-necked Raven — Corvus ruficollis
18. Bimaculated Lark — Melanocorypha bimaculata
19. Greater Short-toed Lark — Calandrella brachydactyla
20. Turkestan Short-toed Lark — Alaudala heinei
21. Asian Short-toed Lark — Alaudala cheleensis
22. Common Crested Lark — Galerida cristata
23. Barn Swallow — Hirundo rustica
24. Red-rumped Swallow — Cecropis daurica
25. Asian Desert Warbler — Curruca nana
26. Great Tit — Parus major
27. Common Starling — Sturnus vulgaris
28. Common Myna — Acridotheres tristis
29. Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin — Cercotrichas galactotes
30. Common Redstart — Phoenicurus phoenicurus
31. Desert Wheatear — Oenanthe deserti
32. Isabelline Wheatear — Oenanthe isabellina
33. House Sparrow — Passer domesticus
34. Eurasian Tree Sparrow — Passer montanus
35. Masked Wagtail — Motacilla personata
36. Richard's Pipit — Anthus richardi
37. Tawny Pipit — Anthus campestris
38. Grey-headed Goldfinch — Carduelis caniceps
39. Desert Finch — Rhodospiza obsoleta

In the foothill areas of the national park, characterized by increased moisture levels and extensive meadow communities, the structure of the avifauna undergoes a noticeable transformation. Here, desert species are replaced by birds typical of open steppe and meadow-steppe landscapes.

1. Grey Partridge — Perdix perdix
2. Daurian Partridge — Perdix dauurica
3. Common Quail — Coturnix coturnix
4. Corncrake* — Crex crex (IUCN)
5. Little Bustard* — Tetrax tetrax (RBK, IUCN)
6. Little Ringed Plover — Charadrius dubius
7. Northern Lapwing — Vanellus vanellus
8. Common Snipe — Gallinago gallinago
9. Common Wood Pigeon — Columba palumbus
10. Long-eared Owl — Asio otus
11. European Roller* — Coracias garrulus (IUCN)
12. European Bee-eater — Merops apiaster
13. Pale Martin — Riparia diluta
14. Calandra Lark — Melanocorypha calandra
15. Eurasian Skylark — Alauda arvensis
16. Lesser Grey Shrike — Lanius minor
17. Rosy Starling — Pastor roseus
18. Eurasian Magpie — Pica pica
19. Western Jackdaw — Coloeus monedula
20. Rook — Corvus frugilegus
21. Common Grasshopper Warbler — Locustella naevia
22. Siberian Stonechat — Saxicola maurus
23. Indian Sparrow — Passer indicus
24. Spanish Sparrow — Passer hispaniolensis
25. Asian Rosy Finch — Leucosticte arctoa
26. Common Linnet — Linaria cannabina
27. Corn Bunting — Emberiza calandra
28. Red-headed Bunting — Emberiza bruniceps

The lower belts of mountain canyons are characterized by a high concentration and diversity of avifauna. Due to the combination of rocky outcrops and specific vegetation, these areas serve as optimal nesting habitats for many bird species, including large raptors.

1. Black Stork* — Ciconia nigra (RBK)
2. Egyptian Vulture* — Neophron percnopterus (RBK, IUCN)
3. Cinereous Vulture* — Aegypius monachus (IUCN)
4. Griffon Vulture — Gyps fulvus
5. Saker Falcon* — Falco cherrug (RBK, IUCN)
6. Barbary Falcon* — Falco pelegrinoides (RBK)
7. Eurasian Hobby — Falco subbuteo
8. Black Grouse — Lyrurus tetrix
9. Chukar Partridge — Alectoris chukar
10. Oriental Turtle Dove — Streptopelia orientalis
11. Eurasian Scops Owl — Otis scops
12. European Nightjar — Caprimulgus europaeus
13. Horned Lark — Eremophila alpestris
14. Common Raven — Corvus corax
15. White-crowned Penduline Tit — Remiz coronatus
16. Barred Warbler — Curruca nisoria
17. Western Orphean Warbler — Curruca hortensis
18. Common Whitethroat — Curruca communis
19. Hume's Whitethroat — Curruca althaea
20. Persian Nuthatch — Sitta tephronota
21. Common Blackbird — Turdus merula
22. Mistle Thrush — Turdus viscivorus
23. Pied Wheatear — Oenanthe pleschanka
24. Rock Sparrow — Petronia petronia
25. Mongolian Finch — Bucanetes mongolicus
26. White-capped Bunting — Emberiza stewarti
27. Rock Bunting — Emberiza cia
28. Meadow Bunting — Emberiza cioides
29. Grey-necked Bunting — Emberiza buchanani

The mid-mountain areas of the national park form a distinct altitudinal belt with a characteristic species composition. The formation of the local ornithological complex is driven by the specific mountain topography and the presence of well-developed tree and shrub vegetation.

1. Bearded Vulture* — Gypaetus barbatus (RBK)
2. Golden Eagle* — Aquila chrysaetos (RBK)
3. Common Sandpiper — Actitis hypoleucos
4. Eurasian Eagle-Owl* — Bubo bubo (RBK)
5. Alpine Swift — Tachymarptis melba
6. Common Swift — Apus apus
7. Eurasian Crag Martin — Ptyonoprogne rupestris
8. Common House Martin — Delichon urbicum
9. Sulphur-bellied Warbler — Phylloscopus griseolus
10. White-throated Dipper — Cinclus cinclus
11. Common Rock Thrush — Monticola saxatilis
12. Blue Rock Thrush — Monticola solitarius
13. Grey Wagtail — Motacilla cinerea
14. Common Rosefinch — Carpodacus erythrinus

The high-altitude landscapes of the national park, concentrated within the Altyn-Emel and Koyandytau ranges, host a specific bird community. The harsh conditions of this altitudinal belt favor species characteristic of open rocky terrain and alpine meadows.

1. Himalayan Vulture* — Gyps himalayensis (RBK)
2. Himalayan Snowcock — Tetraogallus himalayensis
3. Red-billed Chough — Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
4. Yellow-billed Chough — Pyrrhocorax graculus
5. Eurasian Wren — Troglodytes troglodytes
6. Hume's Leaf Warbler — Phylloscopus humei
7. Greenish Warbler — Phylloscopus trochiloides
8. Brown Accentor — Prunella fulvescens
9. Himalayan Rubythroat — Calliope pectoralis
10. Black Redstart — Phoenicurus ochruros
11. Güldenstädt's Redstart — Phoenicurus erythrogaster
12. Northern Wheatear — Oenanthe oenanthe
13. Tree Pipit — Anthus trivialis
14. Water Pipit — Anthus spinoletta
15. White-winged Grosbeak — Mycerobas carnipes
16. Great Rosefinch* — Carpodacus rubicilla (RBK)
17. Asian Crimson-winged Finch — Rhodopechys sanguineus
18. Red-fronted Serin — Serinus pusillus

See also:

• Fish
• Insects
• Reptiles
• Amphibians
• Mammals