1- First- Water Fowl

• Ducks
• Gees
• Swan
• Crane
• Flamingo

A: Ducks and Gees

• Ducks & gees Come to Iraq in great amounts and do not breed in our Country. Hunting Ducks and Gees by using shoot guns as a hobby doesn’t affect its balance of environment due to their large numbers and the difficulty of hunting these birds by this method, but there are other illegal ways (aggressive hunting) of these birds by using nets, poisons, acted by professionals via renting some marches from the state or land owners. Who it may be exists naturally or artificially.
Hunting these birds has adverse impact on its numbers beside the health hazard upon consumers especially those hunted by using poisons. As well as the birds that may survive from poisoning, they may get infertile.

B: Swan, Crane and Flamingo

• Comes to Iraq in limited number annually in winter to the middle and south zones where there are marshes.

2- Jackdaw and Starling

• Come to Iraq in a large numbers annually in winter and they do not breed in the country except few numbers of the starling bird which may breed in the northern region of Iraq. Commonly the black raven is not to be hunted in Iraq despite of his hazards as a plant epidemic, having picked up the seeds before the rainfall and plantation. As to the starling it is hunted in a few number, therefore there is no need for restrictions on hunting.

3- Houbara Bustards

• Exits in most areas in Iraq especially in deserts, it is to be noted that the numbers of these birds are declined continuously as a result of different illicit hunting ways, and the most dangerous way to hunt is when nets and beam lights at night are used especially in the boarder areas between Iraq and Iran, starting from khanakin to the south of Imarah and in the western platue.

4- Black Grouse (Imperial Sand- Grouse)

• Comes to Iraq in a limited numbers, seasons of hunting these birds must be restricted as specified in the license Issued by the Hunting Association.

Local Birds

1- Francolins

This bird exists all over the Agricultural Lands of Iraq. This bird is considered as the one that belong to the Galliformes who depends on the availability of agrarian products and exuberance of water.

2- Sand Grouse

A- Large pin tailed Sand Grouse

B- Coroneted sand grouse

The exist both in all over Iraq in a large number that create a large flocks during the beginning of winter give rise to an adverse effect on rainy- dependant seed implantation areas in Iraq for it pick the seed up before implantation and that reflects on the crops of wheat negatively.

3- Family columbidae.

A- Rock dove; commonly exists all over Iraq especially in middle and south it is one of local non-immigrant birds which can be found in great numbers.

B- Wood pigeon; exist very commonly in most parts of Iraq in a very large numbers.

C- Turtle dove; which is exist in two kinds in Iraq, first, the European kind (Turtur) which passes over Iraq twice a year, during its immigration, once in spring and the other in autumn, second, the oriental kind (Arencola), which is regarded as the summer visitor who came in a very large numbers and breed all over Iraq.

D- Collard dove; this bird is commonly exists in a vary large numbers especially in the middle and south areas of Iraq, and in a less number in the north, it is a permanent dwelling bird.

Birds of prey;

Some of these birds exist in Iraq permanently where the others are International Immigrants in a reasonable numbers and divided as follows:

1- Vultures

2- Eagles

3- Hawks

4- Falcons

5- Kites

6- Harriers

1- Vultures

a- Griffon Vulture: Some how commonly found in most areas of Iraq

b- Black Vulture: Winter visitor, not common

c- Egyptian Vulture: Very common and it breeds in Iraq

d- Bearded Vulture: found in north and mountains areas of Iraq but not commonly

2- Eagles

a- Golden Eagle: Winter visitor found in northern areas and mountains

b- Imperial Eagle: Winter visitor found in most parts of Iraq

c- Serpents Eagle: Breeds in Iraq and it is very common

d- Tawny Eagle: Exists in middle and southern parts in limited numbers

e- Bonelli’s Eagle: Breeds in Iraq in Tikrit, Himreen mountains and it is common

3- Hawks

a- Gus Hawk: Exists in limited numbers distributed in most parts

b- Sparrow Hawk: Winter visitor and it is common

c- Buzzard: Winter visitor found in most parts and some breeds in mountains

4- Falcons

a- Sakar Falcon: Winter visitor common in most parts and breeds in certain mountain cliffs and used for falconry

b- Peregrine Falcon: Winter visitor commonly found

c- Lanner Falcon: Rarely found

d- Merlin: Winter visitor distributed in most parts

e- Kestrel: Very common bird in most parts, breeds in northern areas

5- Kites

a- Red Kite: Exists in northern areas, not common

b- Black Kit: Winter visitor probably breeds in northern areas

6- Harriers

a- Marsh Harrier: Exists in most parts and breeds in the marshes

b- Hen Harrier: Winter visitor and found in limited numbers

NB:

Many other species of birds exists in Iraq apart of those mentioned above in this profile

Wild Animals

First: The Iraqi Gazelle;

There are three major kinds of Iraqi Gazelle, which are Reem, Dushty & jawazi.

• Reem; which exist in the boarder between Iraq & Iran whose numbers has been decreased recently due to the oppressive hunting, of which there are a few numbers in makhmour between Arbil & Kirkuk as well as the area around in Daquk.
• Dushty; which exist in the western platue in a number less than the Reem kind which in eastern area.
• Al Jawazi; it is rare kind of deer that doesn’t drink water and live in the western desert adjacent the Saudi Arabia boarders.

Second; big horn. (Wild sheep), Ibex & white Ibex.

• The big horn exists in a few numbers in the northern mountains area and the boarders area with Iran from Khanaqin to south of Amarah.
• Ibex; exists in the north of mountains area in a very limited numbers.
• White ibex; exist in the peaks of mountains in a very few numbers.

Third; Fox and jackal.

• Exist in a large numbers throughout Iraq. Which causes diseases as black fever infecting human as it approaches the poultry for this reason? The ministry of health arranges campaigns to terminate some of them periodically.

Fourth; Wolf.

• Exist in all over the Iraqi territories; its number has been decreased currently due to the oppressive shooting by sheep breeders and farmers.

Fifth; Wild Cats.

• Wild cat
• Lynx
• Panther ( leopard)

These animals usually exist in a number that ensure the nature balance except the panther where it exists rarely.

 

Sixth; Bears

In Iraq there is one kind exists in the northern territories and the East-North areas which is the Grizzly Bear in a very few numbers. It is considered as a unique animal, therefore it is required entirely to stop hunting them and that must be emphasized on.

Seventh; Miscellaneous;

• Weasel
• Squirrel
• Badger
• Beaver
• Otter

The weasel exists all over Iraqi areas especially in the agricultural areas in a large numbers, beside the badger, but the Otter exist in the marshes south of Iraq, all these animals are available in a considerable numbers, except the squirrel which exist only in the Northern areas where the nut & almond are. This animal is being cached oppressively through bringing then off from there hide outs and nests in order to be sold abroad and in the domestic markets as well.

 

Eight; Wild bore.

Exist in a large numbers all over Iraq especially in the Southern area of the marches its number has relatively been decreased in the middle areas as a result of the oppressive hunting that carried out for the sake of its meat.

Ninth; Hares & Rabbits

There are three kinds Iraq;

• Fields Hare
• Deserts Rabbit
• Mountains Hare

Exist in a large numbers in the middle and south of Iraq except the northern area where its numbers became very few due to over hunting where as it is in the middle and south area increased to be serious plant epidemic, there for, there is no need to place a restriction on there hunting in these regions where it is necessarily to placed on restriction on hunting them in the north of Iraq.

 

Tenth; porcupine.

It is one of a rare animal number which exist in the area of folds and mountains where there water springs, in the east of Iraq. This animal do not roves at a cay, therefore, hunting them usually being carried out at night, there is another method for hunting it via attracting them to leave there hid outs by a trained dogs.

NB:

Many other species of Wild animals exists in Iraq apart of those mentioned above in this profile