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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
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	winter	2003	16 individuals	A1, C1
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	winter	1997	3,020-39,233 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2004	311 individuals	B1i, C3
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	winter	1997	5,657-73,531 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter	1998	15-50 individuals	A1, C1
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	winter	2001	67 individuals	A1, C1
Little Crake Zapornia parva	LC	breeding	1998	5-7 breeding pairs	C6
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding	1996	14-17 breeding pairs	C6
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding	1998	4-6 breeding pairs	C6
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter	2002	200 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage	1996	47-228 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter	-	4-356 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding	1996	8-17 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding	1996	2-14 breeding pairs	C6
Mew Gull Larus canus	LC	winter	2001	330 individuals	B1i, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	1998	5-8 breeding pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	resident	1996	4 breeding pairs	C6
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	VU	breeding	1998	5 breeding pairs	B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1997	50,000-99,999 individuals	A4iii, C4

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	annual & perennial non-timber crops - shifting agriculture	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - unintentional effects (species is not the target)	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - unintentional effects (species is not the target)	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	drought	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	oil and gas drilling	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	work and other activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - abstraction of surface water (agricultural use)	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Condition of habitat (state)
Habitat	Habitat Detail	Reference Area (ha)	Actual Area (ha)	% of habitat remaining	% of carrying capacity (overall)	Result
Wetlands (inland)		0	0	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Branta ruficollis	Red-breasted Goose	39233	16000	individuals	41	unfavourable
Anser anser	Greylag Goose	2202	300	individuals	14	very unfavourable
Anser albifrons	Greater White-fronted Goose	104837	60000	individuals	58	unfavourable
Anser erythropus	Lesser White-fronted Goose	50	10	individuals	20	very unfavourable
Aythya nyroca	Ferruginous Duck	20	10	breeding pairs	50	unfavourable
Charadrius alexandrinus		22	5	breeding pairs	23	very unfavourable
Glareola pratincola	Collared Pratincole	14	0	breeding pairs	0	very unfavourable
Sternula albifrons	Little Tern	8	3	breeding pairs	38	very unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Ezero Durankulak	Zashtitena Mestnost	447	protected area contained by site	0
Ezero Durankulak	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	5,051	protected area overlaps with site	2,143
Durankulashko ezero	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	3,356	is identical to site	3,356
Durankulak Lake	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	350	protected area overlaps with site	350
Durankulak Lake	National Monument	350	protected area contained by site	350
Balchik	State Game Husbandries	133,500	protected area overlaps with site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Shrubland	Scrub	-
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland, Humid grasslands, Mesophile grasslands	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing brackish and salt water, Water fringe vegetation	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Perennial crops, orchards and groves	-
Coastline	Sand dunes & beaches	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-
water management	-

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Durankulak Lake. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/06/2022.