KZ044
Syrdarya Delta Lakes


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):
Species Current IUCN Red List Category Season Year(s) Population estimate at site IBA criteria met
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina LC passage 2005 14,300 individuals A4i
Common Pochard Aythya ferina VU passage 2005 40,100 individuals A4i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca NT breeding 2001-2005 25-61 individuals A1
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus LC breeding 2001 580 individuals A4i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus NT breeding 2001 100 individuals A1, A4i
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus LC passage 2005 10,000 individuals A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a passage 2005 20,000 individuals A4iii

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2007).


IBA Conservation

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment (most recent) State (condition) Pressure (threat) Response (action)
2017 near favourable high medium
Was the whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes habitat good

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Scientific name Common name Reference population Actual population Units % of population remaining Result
Phasianus colchicus Common Pheasant 1 4 individuals 100 favourable
Cygnus olor Mute Swan 20 18 individuals 90 near favourable
Anser anser Greylag Goose 65 106 individuals 100 favourable
Tadorna tadorna Common Shelduck 25 6 individuals 24 very unfavourable
Tadorna ferruginea Ruddy Shelduck 8 2 individuals 25 very unfavourable
Netta rufina Red-crested Pochard 34 127 individuals 100 favourable
Spatula querquedula Garganey 34 7 individuals 21 very unfavourable
Spatula clypeata Northern Shoveler 20 8 individuals 40 unfavourable
Anas crecca 1 6 individuals 100 favourable
Podiceps grisegena Red-necked Grebe 1 10 individuals 100 favourable
Podiceps cristatus Great Crested Grebe 1 3 individuals 100 favourable
Syrrhaptes paradoxus Pallas's Sandgrouse 2 52 individuals 100 favourable
Pterocles orientalis Black-bellied Sandgrouse 122 22 individuals 19 very unfavourable
Pterocles alchata Pin-tailed Sandgrouse 1000 6 individuals 1 very unfavourable
Fulica atra Common Coot 37 244 individuals 100 favourable
Ardea cinerea Grey Heron 2 10 individuals 100 favourable
Ardea alba Great White Egret 19 24 individuals 100 favourable
Phalacrocorax carbo Great Cormorant 1 174 individuals 100 favourable
Limosa limosa Black-tailed Godwit 2 4 individuals 100 favourable
Larus ridibundus Black-headed Gull 50 62 individuals 100 favourable
Larus canus Mew Gull 40 55 individuals 100 favourable
Larus cachinnans Caspian Gull 15 101 individuals 100 favourable
Sternula albifrons Little Tern 4 15 individuals 100 favourable
Sterna hirundo Common Tern 5 24 individuals 100 favourable
Circus aeruginosus Western Marsh-harrier 6 8 individuals 100 favourable
Merops persicus Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 1 33 individuals 100 favourable
Lanius excubitor Great Grey Shrike 1 3 individuals 100 favourable
Corvus corone Carrion Crow 2 94 individuals 100 favourable
Alaudala rufescens 72 80 individuals 100 favourable
Melanocorypha yeltoniensis Black Lark 1 78 individuals 100 favourable
Galerida cristata Crested Lark 6 2 individuals 34 very unfavourable
Oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear 1 61 individuals 100 favourable
Motacilla alba White Wagtail 167 4 individuals 3 very unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Habitat detail Reference area (ha) Actual area (ha) Habitat quantity (% remaining) Habitat quality (carrying capacity) Result
Desert Desert & semi-desert - clay 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Desert Desert & semi-desert - salty 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Desert Desert & semi-desert - sandy 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Grassland Humid 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Grassland Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe 0 0 moderate (70-90%) good (> 90%) near favourable
Shrubland Low bushes 0 0 moderate (70-90%) good (> 90%) near favourable
Wetlands (inland) Rivers & streams 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Wetlands (inland) Standing fresh water 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Wetlands (inland) Water-fringe vegetation 0 0 good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1 Threat level 2 Timing Scope Severity Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - nomadic grazing happening now majority/most of area/population (50-90%) slow but significant deterioration high
Human intrusions and disturbance work and other activities happening now some of area/population (10-49%) no or imperceptible deterioration low
Natural system modifications dams & water management/use - abstraction of surface water (agricultural use) happening now small area/few individuals (<10%) no or imperceptible deterioration low
Natural system modifications dams & water management/use - abstraction of surface water (commercial use) happening now small area/few individuals (<10%) no or imperceptible deterioration low
Natural system modifications dams & water management/use - abstraction of surface water (domestic use) happening now small area/few individuals (<10%) no or imperceptible deterioration low
Pollution garbage & solid waste happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Residential and commercial development tourism and recreation areas happening now some of area/population (10-49%) no or imperceptible deterioration low
Transportation and service corridors roads and railroads happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Transportation and service corridors utility & service lines happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation Management planning Other conservation action Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity medium
For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Rivers & streams, Standing fresh water, Water-fringe vegetation -
Desert Desert & semi-desert - clay, Desert & semi-desert - salty, Desert & semi-desert - sandy -
Forest Flood-plain -
Shrubland Low bushes -
Grassland Humid, Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe -
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable land, Highly improved reseeded grasslands -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
fisheries/aquaculture -
hunting -
water management -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Syrdarya Delta Lakes. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/syrdarya-delta-lakes-iba-kazakhstan on 28/11/2023.