Spits of the Sea of Azov

[1] Most of the spits were formed by the deposition of sand, silt and shells by river flows into the Azov Sea bays.

Therefore, many spits stretch to the south into the sea and are continuations of the (right) river banks (see table and map).

The Chushka and Tuzla spits are located inside the Strait of Kerch; the former spit is formed by the outflow of water from the Azov Sea to the Black Sea and therefore also faces south, whereas the latter is facing north.

[5] Many spits are used as resting ground by migrating birds (mostly ducks, geese, swans, sandpipers, great cormorants and seagulls, see e.g. this and this pictures) and therefore some are declared national nature reserves.

In addition to bird colonies, the Bilosaraysk and Berdiansk spits also host more than 200 vegetation species each.