Current view: Text account
Site description (2006 baseline):
Site location and context
An area of Artemisia-grass steppe between Amangeldy village and Sholak lake (Korgalzhyn district), about 100 km south-east of Astana (the capital of Kazakhstan). The area also includes saltmarshes and bays on the eastern shore of the lake.
The IBA is a breeding area of the globally threatened (and biome-restricted for steppe) Sociable Lapwing and Black-winged Pratincole. Other biome-restricted species are Circus macrourus, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis and Melanocorypha leucoptera. The bays and saltmarshes of Sholak lake are an important area for the autumn and spring concentrations of migratory waterbirds, especially waders (for example, up to 3,000 Limosa limosa).
Almost all of the area is used as pasture for cows, horses and sheep, at moderate intensity.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats – direct disturbance of nesting Sociable Lapwings and Black-winged Pratincoles 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.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
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).
Kurgalginskiy State Nature Reserve - 8 km away - is the closest protected area. Sholak lake is in the same lake system which is protected in the Reserve and depends on water from the Nura river.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Amangeldy (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/amangeldy-iba-kazakhstan on 23/11/2024.
