The protected Area covers 385,000 ha (Iran Department Of The 
Environment 1975 Biotic Community Reserves of Iran, Tehran). The water 
resources project area of about 160,000 ha, lying partly within the 
Protected Area, consisted of a group of catchment basins draining into 
several closed depressions or saltpans (Kavir). The project was required 
to define the long term reliable yield of non-saline water (groundwater 
+ precipitation) as an industrial supply to an iron ore mine and crushing 
plant to be developed at Gol-e-Gohar, just outside the eastern boundary 
of the Protected Area. 
During project work, a new road was being constructed through the 
Protected Area westwards from Sirjan to Neyriz. A protected railway 
with a spur line to the mine site was also being surveyed along the eastern 
edge of the Protected Area. Evidence of hunting was notedin the 
Protected Area. It is regretted that an opportunity to revisit the Protected 
Area since May 1976 has not occurred. These notes, although somewhat 
old, are presented here since apparently little ornithological data from 
Iran has been published in the intervening period. 
The climate of the project area is much affected by its location just to the 
north of the main watershed of the Zagros mountains, which divide 
coastal climate areas from those with an inland desert climate. Mean 
annual rainfall in Sirjan (up to 1 976) was 1 16 nnm, mean annual evaporation 
being about 2,400 mm. Temperatures during project work ranged from 
+40°C in the summer to -8°C in the winter. 
Vegetation in the project area consisted of low bushes at higher elevations, 
with occasional trees such as wild pistachio, merging through scrub, 
grasses and aromatic herbs on the intervening plains down to the sterile 
salt-pans. An artesian spring forming a small pond with some vegetation 
was located about 20 km east of the camp site, the only permanent surface 
water available for a considerable distance. This was used extensively by 
both migrant and resident bird species, particularly sandgrouse. 
Hand operated water wells existed in the project area, used by local 
shepherds for flocks of sheep, goats and camels. A few pumped wells 
were also used for small areas of cultivation, such as cereals, pistachio 
and alfalfa, the irrigated fields being utilised particularly by migrant 
waders. 
During project work I noted the presence of bird species but without 
carrying out precise counts of all species. All bird observations are 
included in the systematic list, arranged in a monthly sequence. More 
detailed notes on some species are given below. 
12 
