Abstract

One hundred and forty species of birds have been credibly recognised (during 1970–1990) as Kyzyl Kum desert inhabitants. They are distributed in seven arid landscapes that are unequal in edaphic and floristic characteristics. The most environmentally capacious landscape is the spates of artesian lakes and banks with grass–shrub complexes, where 83 bird species were found. The valleys of dry riverbeds occupied with tamarisk saxaul groves contained 56 bird species. The smallest species range (16) was observed in the variations of the takyr spaces with poor vegetation. This paper also outlines the relative abundance of 40 species of birds that are typical inhabitants of desert landscapes. We studied four of their habitats, and the effects of seasonal changes on the species composition of shorebirds in three artesian lakes were determined.