The International Waterbird Census (IWC) is a long-term site-based monitoring scheme for waterbirds in the non-breeding season, organized by Wetlands International, on a global scale. In Central Asia and the Caucasus this census is conducted annually in January, as a part of the IWC in the Western Palearctic and Southwest Asia.

Midwinter numbers and distribution are summarized for 108 species of waterbirds and 15 species of wetland-dependent raptors. Totals of 2.3 to 3.1 million waterbirds and more than 1,000 raptors were counted in the region in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

For 30 species, distribution maps are presented, summarizing the average January distribution over the three census years.