LocationsDiscover Bishkek’s Wintering Bird Hotspot: Field Visit to an Important Bird Area of Global Significance
December 7, 2025
Bishkek, 7 December 2025 – UNDP Kyrgyzstan and the Public Foundation Nature Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, organized a special field visit to one of the country’s most unique and internationally significant biodiversity hotspots.
This special event was attended by distinguished guests, including the Ambassadors of France and Türkiye, representatives of the Embassy of China, and the Head of the World Bank Country Office. Their participation underscored the growing international recognition of Kyrgyzstan’s biodiversity wealth and the importance of conserving this unique ecosystem.
Just 15 kilometres from Ala-Too Square lies an Important Bird Area (IBA) that forms a vital sanctuary for migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway. The site supports more than 200 bird species year-round, including the majestic White-tailed Eagle, whose only confirmed nesting site in Kyrgyzstan is located here. Participants also observed elegant White Egrets, colourful Kingfishers, and several other endangered and vulnerable species. In just 3–4 hours, the group identified around 40 bird species, demonstrating the extraordinary density and diversity of wildlife thriving in this compact area adjacent to the capital.
Migratory birds connect entire continents, carrying vital ecological functions with them. Their presence in Bishkek’s wetlands highlights both the global importance of this habitat and the shared responsibility to protect it.
During the visit, experts noted the growing challenges affecting the ecosystem, including urban development, habitat changes, pollution, poaching, and interactions between fishery enterprises and wildlife. They also shared ongoing conservation initiatives designed to enhance ecological resilience and support the long-term preservation of this habitat, recognized for its international importance.
The field visit demonstrated how biodiversity conservation can unlock socio-economic opportunities for Bishkek and surrounding communities. Through nature-based solutions, responsible eco-tourism, urban green planning, and community engagement, this area has the potential to become a model for sustainable urban development, and a testing ground for the deployment of OECMs in Kyrgyzstan.
Integrated ecosystem conservation and management – essential for ensuring species conservation, safeguarding vital ecosystems, and strengthening ecological connectivity – lies at the core of the country’s new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) – the State Programme on Biodiversity Conservation until 2040, recently developed by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic with support from UNDP.
Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative highlighted: “Nature-based solutions offer Kyrgyzstan a powerful pathway to protect biodiversity loss, mitigate climate risks, and strengthen urban resilience simultaneously. By safeguarding this Important Bird Area and integrating its ecosystem services into city planning, we can demonstrate how smart ecological management drives sustainable development in and around Bishkek.”
Participants concluded the visit by reflecting on what Bishkek could become if it proudly protected and showcased this ecological treasure—with the mountains with the Snow leopard in the South and an Important Bird Area (IBA) with the Eagles and other protected birds in the North.
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