Birding Tours to the Western Palearctic, Africa, Asia, The Americas & Beyond!
Welcome to Zoothera Birding
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New Tours
For Western Palearctic listers how about a short winter trip to Georgia, targeting Great Roseifnch? We can also see Cinereous Vulture, 100's of Little Bustards, Saker Falcon, White-winged Redstart? Full info here.
Another winter tour for 2027 takes us to New Mexico & Arizona, with a pre tour extension to Minnesota for a wide variety of special birds.. Full info here.
And we are in the planning stage for a trip to Iceland targeting Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck & Brunnich's Guillemot amongst others. Info here
If you have any questions about any of our tours then just click on the link
Take a look at our blog for more tour news, info, and a slightly different angle on some of our tours....! Just click on the Broad-billed Sandpiper photo to the left....
Take a look at our trip reports to see what you've been missing! Just click on the Arabian Grosbeak photo to the right...
FEATURED TOUR
This tour takes us from the snow-capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus to the vineyards, steppes, and semi-deserts of Kakheti – two of Georgia's premier birdwatching regions, each offering exceptional birding throughout the year. So, what makes late winter so special? Quite simply, it offers an almost guaranteed chance to see Great Rosefinches and White-winged (Güldenstädt's) Redstarts – two species that are often surprisingly elusive during the breeding season. During winter, these birds descend from their breeding grounds in the central Greater Caucasus, particularly around Kazbegi, to the Terek River Valley near the village of Stepantsminda (1,740 m). Here they gather in flocks to feed on the abundant berries of Sea Buckthorn. Since these shrubs are widespread, birders can enjoy outstanding views of both species literally within walking distance of the village, with no demanding mountain hikes required. In contrast, the Caucasian Black Grouse and Caucasian Snowcock are highly sedentary and they remain faithful to their mountain territories throughout the year, neither migrating nor making significant seasonal movements.
Leaving the snowy mountains behind, we descend into the much warmer landscapes of Kakheti. Together with the adjacent lowlands extending east into Azerbaijan, it forms the Eastern Transcaucasian Lowlands – one of the most important wintering areas for Little Bustard anywhere in the world. Every winter, thousands of birds gather across these vast agricultural landscapes. As the flocks move freely across the Georgian – Azerbaijani border, it is impossible to say which country hosts the larger share in any given year. The bustards begin arriving in late December and generally remain until early March. The extensive farmlands and steppes also support enormous flocks of Calandra and other larks, among which careful searching may reveal White-winged Larks. Careful checking of bunting flocks could reveal a much-wanted Pine Bunting, whilst we could also see Dalmatian Pelican, Cinereous Vulture, Pallas's & Armenian Gull, Wallcreeper and White-backed Woodpecker amongst many others.
GEORGIA IN WINTER TOUR INFO HERE