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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
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	passage	2006	1-8 individuals	A1
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	passage	2006	400-500 individuals	A4i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage	2006	120-500 individuals	A1
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage	2007	15-40 individuals	A1
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus	CR	passage	2000	2-3 individuals	A1
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage	2006	500-700 individuals	A4i
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	breeding	2007	30-60 individuals	A1, A3
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	breeding	2006	present	A3
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	breeding	2006	5-25 breeding pairs	A1, A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2006	20,000-49,999 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' habitats)
Habitat	Habitat detail	Reference area (ha)	Actual area (ha)	Habitat quantity (% remaining)	Habitat quality (carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	Dry grassland on sandy soils	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Grassland	Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Standing brackish & salt water	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Standing fresh water	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Temporary water bodies	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Water-fringe vegetation	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	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%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	drought	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	fire & fire suppression - increase in fire frequency/intensity	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high

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)
Shrubland		-
Grassland	Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe, Dry grassland on sandy soils	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing brackish & salt water, Standing fresh water, Temporary water bodies, Water-fringe vegetation, Rivers & streams	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	-

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

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sankebay Lakes. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sankebay-lakes-iba-kazakhstan on 02/10/2023.