ADDITIONS TO THE AVIFAUNA OF THE STATE NATURE RESERVE «OPUKSKIY» AND ADJACENT TERRITORIES
Authors: Sikorsky I. A. 
Published: July 2021

Information about the bird fauna of the reserve and adjacent territories, including their numbers, areas of permanent or temporary habitat, biotopic distribution, seasonal residence, and behavior is of interest in determining and clarifying the current conservation status of these species in a particular region.
To do this, it is necessary to conduct faunal research, monitor species in General and compile (clarify) lists of bird species, in particular species of reserves and adjacent territories.
State Naturе Reserve «Opukskiy» (further − the reserve) is a protected area that ensures the protection of unique natural complexes of the South of the Kerch Peninsula on the narrow coastal strip from Western tip of Kojashskoe lake to Chebakskaya beams (near Yakovenkovo). The location of the reserve determines its significance for the conservation of bird species that nest, migrate along the black sea coast and winter in the protected water area. The reserve plays an important role in maintaining breeding populations of rare and protected species of birds and are most numerous in the South of the Kerch Peninsula winter waterfowl, a transit district of rest and feeding for migratory birds and breeding areas of some species.
Numbers in the last published list of bird fauna of the reserve [13] reflect the reliability of the presence of the species in the described territory. Baseline – 195 bird species in the reserve; 205 – taking into account adjacent areas [13] only in the reserve and adjacent areas was 241 and 263 species of birds, respectively, 46 and 58 species more above baseline.
In this article, the author presents additions that provide information about the registration of new species of bird fauna in the reserve and adjacent territories and their status listed in the list. It contains information about 68 species of birds, 39 of which were registered in the reserve for the first time, 17 species of birds were found in neighboring territories, and 7 species were confirmed to be present in the reserve [13].
The State Nature Reserve «Opukskiy» plays an important role in maintaining breeding populations of rare and protected species of birds and are most numerous in the South of the Kerch Peninsula winter waterfowl, a transit district of rest and feeding for migratory birds and breeding areas of some species. Additions to the list of avifauna of the reserve and adjacent territories provide information on the species composition and state of the bird fauna, their current status and seasonal residence periods for the period from 1989 to 2020. 241 species of birds belonging to 132 genera, 53 families and 20 orders were registered on the territory of the reserve between 2011 and 2020, of which only 97 (39 %) nest relatively regularly. Among them – 39 new species for the reserve, and for 22 species – confirmed presence in neighboring territories. The total list of avifauna of the reserve and adjacent territories is 263 species of birds, which is 78 % of the total avifauna of the Crimea. Among the species registered in the reserve – 58 rare (37 species — in the red book of the Russian Federation and 51 species — in the red book of the Crimea).
The results obtained are of theoretical and practical value for optimizing measures for the protection of rare birds in the conditions of increasing anthropogenic influence and global climate change.