WINTER AVIATION FAUNA OF THE WESTERN VICINITY OF MINGBULAK (CENTRAL KYZYL KUM, UZBEKISTAN)

Abstract

A study conducted in Mingbulak recorded 37 species of birds belonging to 7 families. 16 species of birds (43.2%) are sedentary, 11 species (29.7%) are migratory-wintering, and 7 species (18.9%) are wintering. More than half (56.8%) of the winter ornithofauna of Mingbulak district were birds that fly in the winter season. The greatest diversity in terms of biotopes was recorded in the sandy desert - 23 species and in the gravel desert - 14, in other biotopes - in the salt desert - 5, on the hills - 8 and in water bodies - 9 species of birds. In terms of bird feeding in the Central Kyzylkum, the main groups were herbivores (16 species or 43.2%) and predators (8 species or 21.6%). The distribution of birds across biotopes is not uniform, with diversity highest in sandy deserts and lowest in saline soil biotopes.