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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2005

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	passage	2007	2 individuals	A1
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis	EN	breeding	2005	3-5 breeding pairs	A3
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	breeding	2005	6-9 breeding pairs	A1, A3
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	breeding	2005	95-140 breeding pairs	A1, A3
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding	2005	150-200 breeding pairs	A1
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	breeding	2005	15-19 breeding pairs	A1

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
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%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	very high
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Biological resource use	gathering terrestrial plants - motivation unknown/unrecorded	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - motivation unknown/unrecorded	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Biological resource use	logging & wood harvesting - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	drought	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	mining and quarrying	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	work and other activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	other ecosystem modifications	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	utility & service lines	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Condition of habitat (state)
Habitat	Habitat Detail	Reference Area (ha)	Actual Area (ha)	% of habitat remaining	% of carrying capacity (overall)	Result
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Artificial/Terrestrial	Highly improved reseeded grasslands	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Forest	Flood-plain	0	0	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable
Grassland	Humid	0	0	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable
Grassland	Steppes & dry calcareous	0	0	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Scree, boulders & bare rocky areas	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Shrubland	Low bushes	0	0	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	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

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Aquila nipalensis	Steppe Eagle	7	3	breeding pairs	43	unfavourable
Circus pygargus	Montagu's Harrier	17	1	individuals	6	very unfavourable
Milvus migrans		1	3	individuals	100	favourable
Buteo rufinus	Long-legged Buzzard	3	5	individuals	100	favourable
Falco naumanni	Lesser Kestrel	18	16	breeding pairs	89	near favourable
Falco tinnunculus	Common Kestrel	20	5	individuals	25	very unfavourable
Falco subbuteo	Eurasian Hobby	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Falco cherrug	Saker Falcon	19	1	breeding pairs	6	very unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Some of site covered (10-49%)	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Ulutauskiy	Zakaznik	19,300	protected area contained by site	19,300

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Flood-plain	-
Shrubland	Low bushes	-
Grassland	Humid, Steppes & dry calcareous	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams, Standing fresh water	-
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Scree, boulders & bare rocky areas	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Highly improved reseeded grasslands	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
rangeland/pastureland	-
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-
energy production and mining	-

For further information about the land use classification please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ulytau Mountains. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/03/2023.