Current view: Text account
Site description (2005 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA is located in the vicinity of Aktubek village (Nurinkiy district of Karaganda region) which is a small village with 20-25 families situated to south-east of Tengiz lake, about 30 km to the south of Korgalzhin Nature Reserve. The natural landscape is Festuca-Arthemisia steppe with gently sloping hills, in some plots with Spirea bushes. The are two small rivers nearby - the Kon and the Kulanotpes.
The area is a regular breeding site of Sociable Lapwing. In addition, it is used for foraging or breeding by Circus macrourus, Glareola nordmanni, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis, Melanocorypha leocoptera, plus wagtails, pipits etc. Other birds are typical of anthropogenic landscapes.
Almost all of the area is used as pasture for cows, horses and sheep, at low to moderate intensity.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats – direct disturbance of nesting birds plus higher nest predation by rooks, dogs etc. Direct destruction of eggs by cows etc. is also possible. Overgrazing and undergrazing (due to too tall grass in this case) might have a very strong influence. In the area, undergrazing is more possible.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
There is an ongoing project of the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan & RSPB “Conserving a flagship steppe species: the critically endangered Sociable Lapwing” supported by the Darwin Initiative (2005-2008). There is also the major project for general conservation of biodiversity of the region - the GEF/UNDP “Kazakhstan Wetlands Project “ (2004-2010).
Korgalzhin Nature Reserve, 30 km away, is the nearest protected area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Aktubek (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/aktubek-iba-kazakhstan on 23/12/2024.
