Prolific shanghaibirding.com contributor Mark Havenhand is back, this time with a two-post series on birding two Central Eurasian countries: Georgia and Kazakhstan. We start the series today with Mark’s report on Georgia, a country, Mark writes, where “Anyone who loves nature will be happy.” Mark’s report from Kazakhstan follows later this month. Hyperlinks to species connect to entries in my Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China. — Craig Brelsford
by Mark Havenhand
for shanghaibirding.com
Why am I publishing on shanghaibirding.com a post about Georgia (not the U.S. one—the Caucasus one)? The reason is not just that the avifauna of this transcontinental country is exceedingly rich. It is also familiar, whether to Europeans or to China-based birders, especially those who have birded Xinjiang and the Tibetan Plateau. Explorers wishing to understand the birds of the Eurasian interior will profit from a visit to the Caucasus Mountains.
I went in June for a two-week trip. First day in Tbilisi to settle in. A visit to the Metekhi heronry yielded Armenian Gull, Black-crowned Night Heron, Western Cattle Egret, and Hooded Crow. A visit to the Botanical Garden yielded Laughing Dove.
Next day, a seven-hour train journey to Zugdidi and a three-hour connecting mini-bus up into the mountain-village of Mestia, elevation 1420 m (4,660 ft.). A steep walk up to Koruldi Lakes (43.087288, 42.704433), elev. 2740 m (8,990 ft.), yielded Syrian Woodpecker in the forest, Red-backed Shrike, and Mountain Chiffchaff. Higher up I had Long-legged Buzzard, Alpine Swift, Greater Short-toed Lark, Twite, and Rock Bunting.
I turned around at the still heavily snow-covered Gilla Pass, elev. 2950 m (9,680 ft.). I went off-piste back down to the Mestia road, finding Bearded Vulture, Common Cuckoo, Northern Raven, Ring Ouzel, and Common Rock Thrush. The birdlife was rich, with beautiful alpine meadows and mixed primary forest.
Next up was a walk to the Tetnuldi Ski Resort (43.025610, 42.897442), dormant in June. I rose through moist deciduous woodland, finding Coal Tit, Great Tit, Common Nightingale, Common Redstart, Black Redstart, Red-fronted Serin, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, many Common Rosefinch, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, and more Ring Ouzel. There is a convenient makeshift coffee-bar at 2500 m (8,200 ft.). The main ski terminus is at 2800 m (9,190 ft.). It is reached through low-growing white rhododendron bushes and the last snow patches. European Rock Pipit, Whinchat, and White-winged Snowfinch on the low bushes—with a horseshoe of snowy peaks with elevations between 4000–5000 m (13,120–16,400 ft.) making a perfect backdrop for Griffon Vulture, Bearded Vulture, and a single enormous Cinereous Vulture. Later in the afternoon I saw 3 Long-legged Buzzard, the commonest species here. In the grass going down to Adishi were Eurasian Skylark and Alpine Accentor, Eurasian Jay, and many Red-backed Shrike.
The village of Khalde, at about 2000 m (6,560 ft.), yielded Common Swift, many Western House Martin and, in the deep gorge upstream about half a kilometre, a few Eurasian Crag Martin. Apart from the now familiar Red-fronted Serin and Common Rosefinch, this valley added Marsh Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Siberian Stonechat, more Rock Bunting, and, singing their hearts out, several Common Whitethroat. Rounding off the list were Rock Sparrow and Eurasian Jay. Continuing from Khalde, it is a forest walk of 10 km to Ushguli—with Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, and Common Cuckoo—and high in the sky Lesser Spotted Eagle and Short-toed Snake Eagle. Ever optimistic, I tried to at least approach Lagem Pass (3000 m), high above the popular trail to the Shkara Glacier. Marshy ground and heavy snow stopped my attempt but flushing up a Caucasian Grouse repaid the effort very well.
On my last day in the mountains I took a “taxi” to Heshkilli Huts at around 2100 m (6,890 ft.) and walked down though the coniferous forest to Lakhushdi—finding there some parids and chiffchaffs. The highlight was a perfect view of Krüper’s Nuthatch doing a normal nuthatch routine on a dead pine then sitting on a branch to preen looking like a greyish tit—a very nice end to the trip!
Was a trip to Georgia worth it? For me, yes. Anyone who loves nature will be happy in Georgia. Georgia has a fascinating history and culture, surviving as a Christian state despite many provocations. The food is delicious, and prices are reasonable. A simple lodge in the mountains costs around US$25–$30 for dinner, bed, and breakfast. Transport off the main routes is minimal; be prepared to wait. Porters and mountain guides are rare (I saw but one). Georgia is not Nepal! It may be possible to arrange a horse to carry your equipment. Everybody seems able and willing to speak Russian, and most understand some English. The people are friendly and ever-ready to share a drink.
PHOTOS
BIRD LIST
The following is the list of birds Mark Havenhand noted in June 2025 in Georgia. Hyperlinks connect to entries in Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, published in its entirety on this website:
Caucasian Grouse Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi
Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba
Common Swift Apus apus
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia
Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Western Cattle Egret Ardea ibis
Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus
European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
Short-toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus
Lesser Spotted Eagle Clanga pomarina
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus
Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus
Great Spotted Woodpecker D. major
European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
Hooded Crow Corvus cornix
Northern Raven C. corax
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Great Tit Parus major
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Western House Martin Delichon urbicum
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
Mountain Chiffchaff Phylloscopus sindianus
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Common Whitethroat Curruca communis
Krüper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Ring Ouzel T. torquatus
Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Common Redstart P. phoenicurus
Common Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Siberian Stonechat S. maurus
European Stonechat S. rubicola
Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia
White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris
Dunnock P. modularis
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
Tree Pipit A. trivialis
European Rock Pipit A. petrosus
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
White Wagtail M. alba
Grey Wagtail M. cinerea
Eurasian Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
European Greenfinch Chloris chloris
Twite Linaria flavirostris
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus
Common Linnet Linaria cannabina
Rock Bunting Emberiza cia
BIRDING CENTRAL EURASIA
Read Mark Havenhand’s series on birding Central Eurasia:
• Birding the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia (you are here)
• Birding Eastern Kazakhstan: The birds of Kazakhstan are familiar to birders who have visited adjacent Xinjiang. Areas such as Ridder offer a magical birding experience.
See also
The shanghaibirding.com Index Page on Xinjiang: Birding in Xinjiang is the adventure of a lifetime. In China’s largest and most northwesterly province, the birds, natural scenery, and people, including people wearing the uniforms of the state, are endlessly fascinating. See the complete list of our posts, including one by renowned author John MacKinnon.
Featured image: Map showing the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus Mountains on the Black Sea. Author Mark Havenhand spent most of his time in the north around the town of Mestia. (Craig Brelsford)
