ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - An Iraqi rights group off has warned that 16 species of migratory birds that flock to the country are at risk of extinction due to illegal hunting, climate change, drought, and shrinking water bodies.

In a statement received by The New Region, Fadel al-Gharawi, head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights, said Iraq is an important stopover for migratory birds, as its territory, especially its southern marshes and other water sources, receives large numbers of these birds every year, reaching up to 270 bird species.

He said that “migratory birds arriving in Iraq from Russia, Siberia, Canada, and China belong to multiple species, some of which are rare and globally threatened with extinction.”

Gharawi said the most prominent of these birds include flamingos and water birds found in lakes and wetlands, such as wild ducks, wild geese, white herons, and the green sandpiper.

He said the threats are not limited to water birds and birds of prey, such as the peregrine falcon, and vulture, but also affect birds of plains and deserts, such as the houbara bustard, sandgrouse, and quail.

Smaller birds and songbirds are also at risk, including the white-cheeked bulbul, the hoopoe, and colorful sparrows, he continued.

Gharawi noted that “rare and globally endangered birds” such as the Egyptian vulture and the glossy ibis inhabit Iraq’s marshes and face heightened risks given their international sparsity.

He said areas where migratory birds are found in Iraq are concentrated in the southern marshes and the northern mountainous regions, and that bird migration is most active during the autumn and spring seasons.

Hashim al-Assadi, head of water resources in the southern Dhi Qar, told The New Region on December 21 that Iraq's marshlands have been bouyed by recent bouts of heavy rainfall, saying that the rise in water levels has contributed to an “environmental revitalization” in the marshes.

Gharawi called on the Iraqi government to declare Iraq a natural reserve for migratory birds, protect them from extinction, enforce strict laws to prevent illegal hunting, and improve water resource management to ensure the continued availability of suitable environments for migratory birds.

Iraq needs about $233 billion in climate investments by 2040, equivalent to six percent of its annual GDP, to meet urgent development needs and protect natural resources, according to the World Bank.