Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests an important resting area for birds migrating between Russia and Africa and is thus a key habitat for many bird species. Some outstanding birds that can be found here are the greylag goose ("Anser anser"), white-fronted goose ("Anser albifrons"), Little bustard ("Tetrax tetrax"), glossy ibis ("Plegadis falcinellus"), Eurasian spoonbill ("Platalea leucorodia"), night heron ("Nycticorax nycticorax"), red-breasted goose ("Branta ruficollis"), peregrine falcon ("Falco peregrinus"), Dalmatian pelican ("Pelecanus crispus"), Western cattle egret ("Bubulcus ibis"), squacco heron ("Ardeola ralloides"), greater flamingo ("Phoenicopterus roseus"), white-headed duck ("Oxyura leucocephala"), and Caspian snowcock ("Tetraogallus caspius"). The diversity and endemism of the species represented in the ecoregion
Little Birds 'little birds' of the title story refer both to the actual birds used by its exhibitionist protagonist to attract young schoolgirls to his attic, and (metaphorically) to the girls' flight when he finally exposes himself. In other stories, Nin calls into question the objectifying tendencies of the male gaze; both male and female complicity in masochism; and the pornographic genre itself through her subtle subversion. While writing her erotica, and organising that of her fellow writers such as George Barker, Nin referred to herself jokingly as the "madam of this snobbish literary house of prostitution" for a client who examined