Field notes and updates
Sightings, field work and announcements from the ClimateKRD team and the people who share their records with us.
University of Duhok Faculty Participate in Key Meeting on Kurdistan Biodiversity Project in Erbil
Implemented through the Climate.KRD platform, Biodiversity.KRD project aims to collect, organize, and disseminate essential information about the region’s biodiversity. As part of the initiative, biodiversity.krd was recently launched as a dedicated trilingual database providing information in Kurdish, English, and scientific terminology. The platform includes species definitions, geographic distributions, conservation statuses, photographic records, and academic sources covering plants and animals across the region.
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The First Documented Record of the Shikra in Kurdistan
While photographing birds near Ble in the Barzan area, Saber Dri documented and photographed a Shikra (Accipiter badius) a small bird of prey distinguished from the Eurasian Sparrowhawk by its reddish iris and distinct plumage. Confirmed by biodiversity expert Dr. Korosh Ararat and an Italian specialist, this marks the first documented record of the species in Kurdistan and Iraq, with efforts underway to formally add it to official regional bird lists.
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What Our Biodiversity Database Reveals About Kurdistan’s Wildlife
When people think about wildlife in Kurdistan, Chukar, See-see partridge, house sparrow and golden jackal often come to mind. But after research and field surveys by our researchers, the records show a much more diverse and wider range of species including less familiar mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
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Climate.KRD Launches Public Wildlife Photo Submission Program
Anyone in the Kurdistan Region can now share their own wildlife photos directly through the Wildlife Map. Reviewed by our team and added to the public gallery once approved.
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Peramagroon: Profile of a Kurdish Mountain
An introduction to Peramagroon Mountain’s natural environment and traditional land use, exploring their importance for conserving Kurdistan’s biodiversity. Credit: Produced through the collaborative work of Nature Iraq, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and BirdLife International.
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Kurdistan Newt Rediscovered at Historic Breeding Pool After Years of Absence
A small population of Kurdistan Newts has been found breeding again at a mountain pool where the species hadn't been recorded in several years, offering a cautiously hopeful sign for one of the region's most range-restricted amphibians.
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Spring Migration Brings Record Numbers of White Storks to Duhok Wetlands
Volunteer counts along the Duhok wetlands recorded the highest number of migrating White Storks since tracking began, with several pairs staying on to nest locally.
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Community Volunteers Join First Kurdistan-Wide Amphibian Survey
A newly organized volunteer network carried out the region's first coordinated amphibian survey this season, covering breeding pools across all four governorates.
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Red-wattled lapwing: Kurdistan’s alarm bird
Red-wattled lapwings have one of the loudest and most distinct alarm calls. They are extremely vigilant and always on alert. They live around water streams, farms, rocky ground and cultivated land.
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Echoes of the wild: Kurdistan’s endangered species
Biologist Soran Ahmed believes that each animal plays an instrumental role in nature and that biodiversity and wildlife are as important to human wellbeing as they are to a healthy ecosystem