The Muezersky District is known to host 190 birch species, of which 140 breed in the territory.

Planned "Tulos" landscape reserve

The number of bird species recorded is 128, including 103 breeding there. Many native taiga birds demonstrate high population density. Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus abundance ranges across years from 16.7 to 19.5 individuals per 1000 ha. This is one of the highest values for the summer abundance of the species in Karelia. Very common species are owls - the Ural Owl Strix uralensis and Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus, as well as the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus, Siberian Jay Perisoreus infaustus, Crested Tit Parus cristatus, Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris, Miscle Thrush Turdus viscivorus and other vulnerable forest-dwelling passerines. Rare taiga species such as the Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis, Greenish Warbler Phyll. trochiloides, Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera, Merlin Falco columbarius were encountered.

A unique breeding grouping of the Osprey Pandion haliaetus lives on Lake Tulos. This is one of the largest (7 pairs) groups in the forest belt on the border. The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos and White-tailed Sea Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla nest there. The territory features high concentrations of the Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica (30-50 pairs), Wooper Swan Cygnus cygnus (15-20) and Bean Goose Anser fabalis (20-30 pairs). Vulnerable gull species such as the Lesser Black-headed Gull Larus fuscus (20-30) and Common Tern Sterna hirundo (50 pairs) also nest here. The common Anatidae are the Goldeneye Bucephala clanqula, Eurasian Teal Anas crecca, Mallard A. platyrhyncha, Wigeon A. penelope, Goosander Mergus merganser and Red-breasted Merganser M. serrator.

Thirteen species of birds breeding in the area are included in Red Data Books of the Russian Federation, Karelia and East Fennoscandia:

• Black-throated Diver,
• Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata,
• Wooper Swan,
• Bean Goose,
• Osprey,
• Golden Eagle,
• White-tailed Sea eagle,
• Merlin,
• Common Crane Grus grus,
• Lesser Black-headed Gull,
• Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa,
• Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus,
• Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor.

The territory satisfies the set of ornithological criteria for nomination as an internationally important bird area.

Planned "Chirka-Kem" landscape reserve

The proposed reserve is to occupy 62,000 ha in the middle reaches of the Chirka-Kem river, north of the village of Tiksha. The territory is inhabited by 143 bird species including 117 species breeding in the area. The main rare and vulnerable forest birds are the Three-toed Woodpecker, Siberian Jay and Siberian Tit Parus cinctus. For the latter, the area is the southernmost constant breeding ground in Karelia. The eastern-provenance species reported from the territory are the Arctic Warbler and Greenish Warbler.

There have been reports of summer encounters of the Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca and Common Scoter M. nigra, which may nest in the area in some years. The Dipper Cinclus cinclus, has been seen on the Chirka-Kem river rapids in summer, and its breeding in the area can be hypothesised. Common inhabitants of waterbodies are diving and puddle ducks (Nyroca sp., Anas sp.). There nest divers Gavia sp., the Lesser Black-headed Gull, Common Tern. The Little Gull Larus minutus has lately been colonising the area.

Among protected raptors, there breed the Golden Eagle and White-tailed Sea Eagle, and a relatively common raptor is the Osprey.

Crossing the reserve and Lake Nyuk is the Bothnian flyway, which is the shortest way for bird migrations between the White Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. The major migrants are diving ducks (Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis), puddle ducks Anas sp., Anser and Branta geese, divers Gavia sp. The total number of migrating swans (C. cygnus, C. bewickii) increased significantly over 1990-1995, the same was true for geese (A. fabalis and especially A. albifrons). A passing migrant across the territory is the Greylag Goose Anser anser (1950, 1989), which is a very rare species in the North.

The birds included in Red Data Books of the Russian Federation, Karelia and East Fennoscandia and breeding in the planned "Chirka-Kem" reserve are:

• Black-throated and Red-throated divers,
• Wooper Swan,
• Bean Goose,
• Osprey,
• Golden Eagle,
• White-tailed Sea Eagle,
• Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus,
• Merlin,
• Common Crane,
• Ruff Philomachus pugnax,
• Lesser Black-headed Gull,
• Great Grey Owl,
• Common Redstart,
• Great Grey Shrike.

Four more species listed in the Red Data Books of Karelia and East Fennoscandia are believed to breed in the area: the Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, Eurasian Pigmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum, Dipper.

Expert: S.Sazonov