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Spring Birding in Azerbaijan
Tour Code: AZE01An 11-day birding tour of Azerbaijan in search of the passage visitor, summer migrant and resident birds of this exciting destination.
£4,695 (Inc flights)
£3,795
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Straddling the border between East and West, Azerbaijan remains a little-known location for international birdwatchers, making it a very exciting destination for the keen naturalist! The short distances between wide-ranging habitats including dry steppes, lakes, subtropical forests, and picturesque mountains – notably the ‘Candy Cane Mountains’, uniquely coloured by oxidised trapped iron – ensure its popularity in years to come.
Azerbaijan really comes alive in the spring. The countryside is in bloom, the temperature is pleasant, and returning breeders – adorned in their summer best – join the residents in their droves, with all species at their most conspicuous as they sing and display, driven by the insatiable urge to reproduce. What is more, huge numbers of northbound migrants move through on their way to higher latitudes, where they will soon fill the vast expanses of steppe, taiga and tundra across Siberia.
On an itinerary crafted by expert local ornithologists, we'll explore Azerbaijan for its stunning landscapes and the region's most exciting species including Caucasian Snowcock, Caucasian Black Grouse, Black Francolin, Shikra, White-tailed Lapwing, Terek Sandpiper, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Great Spotted Woodpecker (ssp. poelzami), Bimaculated Lark, Western and Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Wallcreeper, Rosy Starling, Güldenstädt's Redstart, Raddes’ Accentor, Red-fronted Serin, Caucasian Twite, Great Rosefinch, Crimson-winged, Trumpeter, Desert and Mongolian Finch, Grey-necked Bunting and more!
- Superb Western Palearctic birding; Caspian Tit, Finsch’s Wheatear, Shikra, Black Francolin, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Pallas’s Gull, Chukar and more
- The alpine birdlife includes such species as Asian Crimson-winged Finch, Caucasian Snowcock, Güldenstädt's Redstart, Great Rosefinch, Mountain Chiffchaff, Caucasian Grouse, Steppe Eagle
- Search for the birdlife of a range of habitats, breathtaking landscapes and varied climate zones within a short distance of one another
- Participation in this tour supports scientific research, young ornithologist capacity building, and bird conservation.
- Led by an expert local ornithologist
Grading
Slow-paced day walks but in this mountainous country some of the walking will inevitably be on paths of varying steepness at over 3000m. Some remote areas are only accessible by 4x4 (Ladas) and therefore this tour is not suitable for any person who has underlying health conditions that may be agitated by travelling using this method away from tarmacked roads.
Outline Itinerary
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Richard Bashford
Richard was born in Sandy, which played no small part in his early interest in birds. After leaving school, he began working for the RSPB on a variety of contracts until undertaking an environmental degree. In 1995 he worked for the British Trust for Ornithology, running the Breeding Bird Survey, but has worked back at the RSPB in Sandy since 2001 running projects such as the world's biggest wildlife survey - Big Garden Birdwatch. Richard has travelled widely in search of wildlife and has taken part in ornithological projects in Kenya, Botswana, Jordan and Albania and China (the latter searching for Spoon-billed Sandpipers). He has been leading tours since the 1980s and has led Naturetrek holidays throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, North and Central America. He is very active in his home county of Bedfordshire, supporting survey work and spending much of his free time searching for birds, butterflies and moths.
2026
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
