Current view: Data table and detailed info
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1994 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:
Species |
Red List |
Season (year/s of estimate) |
Size |
IBA criteria |
Greylag Goose Anser anser |
LC |
winter (1971) |
1,457 birds |
A4i |
Common Pochard Aythya ferina |
VU |
passage (1969–1970) |
15,000 birds |
A4i |
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus |
LC |
breeding (1969–1974) |
5,700–9,000 birds |
A4i |
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus |
CR |
passage (1970–1977) |
56–76 birds |
A1, A4i |
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea |
LC |
winter (1971) |
263 birds |
A4i |
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus |
LC |
winter (1971) |
1,260 birds |
A4i |
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus |
LC |
passage (1966–1970) |
2,500-9,999 birds |
A4i |
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus |
LC |
breeding (1965–1966) |
400–800 pairs |
A4i |
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei |
LC |
breeding (1965–1972) |
1,000-2,499 adults |
A4i |
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica |
LC |
passage (1969–1970) |
580 birds |
A4i |
A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
passage (1969–1970) |
18,843–35,552 birds |
A4iii |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1994. The most recent assessment (1994) is shown below.
IBA conservation assessment |
Year of assessment |
State |
Pressure |
Response |
1994 |
moderate |
high |
medium |
Whole site assessed? |
State assessed by |
Accuracy of information |
|
yes |
habitat |
medium |
|
Year |
Protected Area |
Designation (management category) |
% coverage of IBA |
1977 |
Ab-i-Estada
|
Waterfowl Sanctuary (IV) |
100 |
Habitat |
% of IBA |
Habitat detail |
Wetlands (inland) |
48 |
Rivers & streams; Standing brackish & salt water; Water-fringe vegetation; Temporary water bodies |
Desert |
major (>10) |
Desert & semi-desert - clay; Desert & semi-desert - salty |
Grassland |
major (>10) |
Alpine, subalpine & boreal |
Land use |
% of IBA |
nature conservation and research |
100 |
rangeland/pastureland |
major (>10) |
military |
minor (<10) |
hunting |
minor (<10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ab-i-Istada (Afghanistan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ab-i-istada-iba-afghanistan on 23/12/2024.