In the “Bird of the Year 2026” competition through a secret ballot, out of 10 nominated bird species, the desert partridge (Ammoperdix) received the highest number of votes and was selected as the Bird of the Year 2026.
The third edition of the Red Book of Tajikistan provides the following information about the desert partridge: it belongs to the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae. It has been given the status of a vulnerable species and is included in the IUCN Red List (LC).
The desert partridge is distributed in the south-western part of Tajikistan and inhabits the foothills of Bobokuh, Safedkuh, Rangontov, the Karatau of Panj, the slopes of the Gissar Range, and the western branches of the Darvaz Range. The northern boundary of its range lies outside the territory of Tajikistan.
Its preferred habitats include foothills with pistachio and almond vegetation, sandy hills, small rocky areas, deserts and semi-deserts. It can be found at altitudes ranging from 350 to 1500 meters above sea level. Its population is not large. In the “Beshai Palangon” reserve, five pairs were recorded along a 10 km stretch. In the Safedkuh Mountains, during autumn, four small flocks consisting of 5–6 individuals were recorded over a distance of 5 km.
Since 2008, within the “Bird of the Year” campaign, various birds such as the Huma bird, mountain goose, rock partridge, eagle owl, blue magpie, pheasant, white stork, bird-of-paradise, Tibetan snowcock, hoopoe, falcon, village swallow, golden eagle, goldfinch, turtle dove and the beautiful bustard have been selected as “Bird of the Year”.
The “Bird of the Year” campaign helps society develop a respectful attitude toward nature, appreciate the beauty and value of even the most common bird species, and understand the important role of birds in the ecosystem.
