Kurdish environmental activists Iman Karim Wand snaps pictures of migratory birds in Bokan, West Azerbaijan on October 25, 2025. Photo: Screengrab/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Environmental activists in Bokan, a Kurdish-majority city in western Iran’s (Rojhelat) West Azerbaijan province, are calling for greater efforts to protect the hundreds of migratory birds that stop at a key river in the city each fall.
The Jaghatu River, also known as the Zarrineh River, is a vital and perennial waterway originating in the Zagros Mountains and flowing northward. It is one of the two main sources feeding the endangered Lake Urmia, providing more than half of the lake’s water supply.
Flowing through Bokan, the river is not only an ecological lifeline for the region but also a critical stopover point on the global migration route of more than 340 species of migratory birds, which pass through the area twice a year.
Kurdish environmental activists Iman Karim Wand and Hiwa Mohammed Amini visited the Jaghatu riverbank to mark World Migratory Bird Week, emphasizing the need for conservation.
“This seasonal migration follows a pre-set path from north to south,” said Karim Wand. “Now that autumn has begun, the migration season has started as well.”
The birds typically arrive in May and depart in October, following seasonal shifts in temperature, food sources, and nesting opportunities. The region’s unique geography makes it a vital resting and feeding point for species migrating across Iran and the Kurdistan Region.
For his part, Amini appealed to local residents to uphold a longstanding Kurdish cultural tradition by protecting the migratory visitors rather than hunting them.
“Kurdish people are known for their hospitality and kindness,” he said. “That is why I urge everyone not to hunt the birds resting here on their migration route. Let us continue our ancestral tradition of being good hosts.”
World Migratory Bird Day is a global campaign coordinated by the United Nations and international partners to raise awareness about the importance of conserving migratory birds and their habitats. It is observed twice each year - on the second Saturday of May and the second Saturday of October - to reflect the migration schedules across both hemispheres.
The event aims to highlight the threats migratory birds face during their long journeys, emphasize their ecological importance, and encourage international cooperation to protect them along their entire flyways.
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