Data Zone
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 | passage | 2006 | 213 individuals | A1 |
| Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula | LC | passage | 2006 | 1,500 individuals | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | passage | 2006 | 15,000-100,000 individuals | A4iii |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2006).
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2017 | near favourable | high | high |
| Was the whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Common name | Reference population | Actual population | Units | % of population remaining | Result |
| Cygnus cygnus | Whooper Swan | 1 | 1 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Tadorna ferruginea | Ruddy Shelduck | 80 | 80 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Aythya fuligula | Tufted Duck | 720 | 200 | individuals | 28 | very unfavourable |
| Mareca strepera | Gadwall | 1 | 10 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Podiceps cristatus | Great Crested Grebe | 20 | 1 | individuals | 5 | very unfavourable |
| Fulica atra | Common Coot | 8200 | 4 | individuals | 1 | very unfavourable |
| Vanellus vanellus | Northern Lapwing | 1 | 1 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Larus ridibundus | Black-headed Gull | 1 | 1 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Larus canus | Mew Gull | 1 | 1 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Circus aeruginosus | Western Marsh-harrier | 1 | 1 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Circus macrourus | Pallid Harrier | 1 | 1 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Alauda arvensis | Eurasian Skylark | 1 | 20 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Anthus campestris | Tawny Pipit | 2 | 2 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Motacilla flava | Western Yellow Wagtail | 5 | 5 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| 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 | Steppes & dry calcareous | 0 | 0 | moderate (70-90%) | good (> 90%) | near favourable |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing brackish & salt water | 0 | 0 | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Wetlands (inland) | Water-fringe vegetation | 0 | 0 | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| 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 | majority/most of area/population (50-90%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| 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%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Biological resource use | hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - motivation unknown/unrecorded | happening now | majority/most of area/population (50-90%) | moderate to rapid deterioration | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | work and other activities | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Pollution | agricultural & forestry effluents - type unknown/unrecorded | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Pollution | garbage & solid waste | 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 |
| Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | high |
| Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Steppes & dry calcareous | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing brackish & salt water, Water-fringe vegetation | - |
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| hunting | - |
| rangeland/pastureland | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Saumalkol Lake. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/saumalkol-lake-iba-kazakhstan on 23/09/2023.
