Azerbaijan is a hidden gem for birdwatchers in the Western Palearctic. Located in the Caucasus region, it is a crossroads for a variety of birds from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This small country has recorded over 400 species, many of which are rare or difficult to see elsewhere. This is a land of major contrasts, with a mix of high-altitude mountain ranges, arid steppe, and desert. We’ll be birding across much of the country, from the Greater Caucasus Mountain range running along almost all the country's northern border, to the Lesser Caucasus, Talish Mountains and the exclave, or autonomous republic of Nakhchivan.

We will be searching for several Western Palearctic range-restricted species such as Caspian Tit, Asian Crimson-winged, Desert and Mongolian Finches, Red-tailed, Finch´s & Eastern Black-eared Wheatears, White-tailed Lapwing, Bimaculated & Turkestan Short-toed Larks; White-throated Robin, Armenian and Pallas's Gulls, Black Francolin, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Red-fronted Serin and Menetries’s Warbler. We’ll also be targeting three near endemics; Caspian and Caucasian Snowcocks as well as Caucasian Grouse. We’ll search for other key area species in Great Rosefinch, Güldenstädt's Redstart, Mountain Chiffchaff and Radde’s Accentor.