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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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	5,700 / 5,700 (birds)	100	good
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus	5 / 76 (birds)	7	not assessed

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>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

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)

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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.