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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 IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	passage (1977)	25 individuals	A1
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	LC	winter (1977–1992)	2,200–2,530 individuals	A4i, B1i
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter (1977–1992)	711–849 individuals	A4i, B1i
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter (1977–1992)	16–51 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter (1977)	1,500 individuals	B1i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	winter (1970–1977)	500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter (1977)	32 individuals	A1
Smew Mergellus albellus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	382 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter (1970–1977)	65,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	passage (1977)	130 individuals	A1, B1i, B2
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	winter (1970–1977)	51 individuals	B1i
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	LC	winter (1970–1977)	34,500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	passage (1977)	3,850 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter (1970–1977)	24,300 individuals	A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter (1977–1992)	7,850–14,900 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (1970–1977)	30,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter (1970–1977)	67,800 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (1970–1977)	55,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter (1970–1977)	540,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	260 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	winter (1970–1977)	300 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter (1970–1977)	106,400 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	winter (1970–1977)	250 individuals	B1i
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (1977)	150 breeding pairs	B1i
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	passage (1977)	900 individuals	B1i
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	LC	passage (1977)	620 individuals	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding (1977)	150 breeding pairs	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	passage (1977)	585 individuals	A4i, B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	winter (1970–1977)	300 individuals	B1i
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (1977–1992)	410–650 individuals	A1, B1i, B2
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	passage (1977)	4,200 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	NT	winter (1977–1992)	2,710–5,630 individuals	A4i, B1i
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	passage (1968–1969)	1–8 individuals	A1, A4i
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	LC	passage (1977)	112 individuals	B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (1970–1977)	1,380 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (1977)	700 individuals	B1i
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	1,750 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter (1977–1992)	1,000–2,510 individuals	A4i, B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1977)	2,000–4,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter (1977)	24 individuals	A1, B2
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	winter (1977)	6 individuals	B2
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	winter (1977)	20 individuals	A1, B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1970–1977)	500,000-999,999 individuals	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.

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	whole popul­ation/area (>90%)	moderate deteri­oration (10–30% in 3 gener­ations)	very high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happen­ing now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1975	Selkeh	Wildlife Refuge (IV)	2
1982	Siahkeshim	Protected Area (V)	30
2002	Sorkhanhol	Wildlife Refuge (IV)	8

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)	Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens & peatlands; Permanent freshwater marshes & pools; Permanent rivers, streams & creeks; Permanent saline, brackish & alkaline lakes; Permanent saline/brackish/alkaline marshes & pools
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	minor (<10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)
Grassland	minor (<10)
Introduced vegetation	minor (<10)
Shrubland	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
hunting	major (>10)
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Anzali Mordab complex (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/anzali-mordab-complex-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 13/01/2025.