Landscape Zones

Crags & Screes

Crags and screes are specialised habitats found in all landscape zones of Armenia. They are especially well represented in southern Armenia, but are also widely distributed in the forested northern parts of the country, often occupying vast areas along ridge tops or separating woodland and scrublands from the nearby mountain meadows.

In Armenia crags are comprised of igneous and sedimentary rock with extensive screes at their bases. Chaotic concentrations of rocks are found in some places on more or less flat areas or gentle slopes. This is a result of soil erosion by rivers, rain and snowmelt currents. Crags and their surroundings have unique daily and seasonal temperature variations. In hot seasons massifs are warmed during the daytime, but subsequently radiate heat during the cooler night. Therefore daily temperature fluctuations are not especially great. Cliffs warmed by the sun have less snow cover in the winter. On southern facing slopes there is increased melt and at the bottom of cliffs, grass appears earlier in the spring and even towards the end of winter. Areas with fresh grass at the bottom of crags attract, among other vertebrates, various birds.

Crevices, cracks and tube-like entrances, resulting from gas accumulation and in-rush during the lava mass cooling process are commonly found in igneous rocks. In some places temperature fluctuations, wind and water have combined to create many caves, which through the centuries have turned into extensive awnings, cornices and grottos. Such formations, protected from severe weather and often inaccessible for predators, are breeding sites for a number of birds and favorite roosting sites for nocturnal birds of prey.