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

The site was identified as important in 2006 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	breeding	1971	< 50 individuals	A1
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage	1997	11,000 individuals	A1, A4i
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	non-breeding	1971-2004	20,000 individuals	A4i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage	1997	32,000 individuals	A4i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage	1997	26 individuals	A1
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	passage	1971	3,000 individuals	A4i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	passage	1971	35,000 individuals	A4i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	passage	1971	11,000 individuals	A4i
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus	CR	passage	1971	< 50 individuals	A1
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo	LC	breeding	2003-2006	uncommon	A3
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	breeding	1986-2004	50-249 individuals	A1, A3
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding	1985-2004	400 individuals	A4i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	breeding	1985-2004	50-200 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	breeding	1985-2004	144-350 breeding pairs	A4i
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	breeding	2003-2004	500 breeding pairs	A4i
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	breeding	1986-2003	< 50 individuals	A1, A3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	1985-2003	8,000 individuals	A1, A4i
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	breeding	2003-2004	300-400 individuals	A1, A3, A4i
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis	EN	breeding	2003-2006	uncommon	A3
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	passage	2003-2004	< 50 individuals	A1, A3
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	breeding	2003-2004	< 50 individuals	A1, A3
Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis	LC	breeding	2003-2006	abundant	A3
White-winged Lark Alauda leucoptera	LC	breeding	2003-2006	abundant	A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	1971	20,000 individuals	A4iii

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2006).

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	Humid	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Grassland	Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Grassland	Steppes & dry calcareous	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
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	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid 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

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Sary-Kolinskiy	Zakaznik	51,200	is identical to site	51,200

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Grassland	Humid, Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe, Steppes & dry calcareous	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams, Standing brackish & salt water, Standing fresh water, Temporary water bodies, Water-fringe vegetation	-

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

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sarykopa Lake System. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sarykopa-lake-system-iba-kazakhstan on 30/11/2023.