• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	passage	2005	195-1,011 individuals	A4i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage	2005	732-1,662 individuals	A1, A4i
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	passage	2007	2,560-6,430 individuals	A4i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage	2005	2,400-8,050 individuals	A4i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage	2005	< 50 individuals	A1
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	LC	passage	2005	1,270-2,820 individuals	A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2007	13,200-27,600 individuals	A4iii

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

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Cygnus cygnus	Whooper Swan	1010	3	individuals	1	very unfavourable
Bucephala clangula	Common Goldeneye	2820	650	individuals	24	very unfavourable
Aythya fuligula	Tufted Duck	1900	112	individuals	6	very unfavourable
Spatula querquedula	Garganey	78	78	individuals	100	favourable
Mareca strepera	Gadwall	2430	41	individuals	2	very unfavourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	27600	1135	individuals	5	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
Artificial/Terrestrial	Other urban & industrial areas	0	0	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Artificial/Terrestrial	Ruderal land	0	0	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Forest	Wooded steppe	50	50	-	poor (40-69%)	unfavourable
Grassland	Humid	200	200	-	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable
Grassland	Steppes & dry calcareous	300	200	-	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Standing fresh water	400	300	-	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	annual & perennial non-timber crops - small-holder farming	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: large scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	drought	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	agricultural & forestry effluents - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Pollution	domestic & urban waste water - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	excess energy - noise pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	garbage & solid waste	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Wooded steppe	-
Grassland	Humid, Steppes & dry calcareous	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing fresh water	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Other urban & industrial areas, Ruderal land	-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
rangeland/pastureland	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
hunting	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sorbalyk-Maybalyk Lake System. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sorbalyk-maybalyk-lake-system-iba-kazakhstan on 04/10/2023.