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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2005 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
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	LC	winter (1997)	34–875 birds	B1i, C3
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	winter (2003)	1,444 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	winter (2000)	16,010 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter (1997)	1,102–4,036 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	passage (1996)	2–88 birds	A1, C1
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	passage (1996)	15–130 birds	B1i, C2
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	passage (1996)	70–260 birds	C2
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (1996)	25–30 pairs	C6
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (2004)	287 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	passage (1996)	158–1,695 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (2002)	250 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage (1996)	14–565 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding (1996)	557–725 pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage (1997)	1,134–7,570 birds	A4i, B1i, C2
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	breeding (1996)	31–71 pairs	C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding (1996)	70–80 pairs	B2, C6
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	non-breeding (1996)	1 birds	A1, C1
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage (1996)	1–3 birds	A1, C1
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1997)	15–20 pairs	C6
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	non-breeding (2003)	120 birds	B1i, C2
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1996)	18–158 pairs	C2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (1996)	58–830 pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (1996)	10–772 pairs	B1i, C2, C6
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	passage (1996)	6–16 birds	A1, C1
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	VU	passage (1996)	438–3,110 birds	A4ii, B1iii, C2
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes	n/a	passage (1996–2004)	147,002–154,913 birds	A4iv, B1iv, C5
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (-)	min 20,000 birds	A4iii, C4

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2005. The most recent assessment (2007) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	150 / 450 (pairs)	34	very poor
Charadrius alexandrinus	7 / 80 (pairs)	9	very poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of area covered (10–49%)	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Not assessed	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1980	Atanasovsko ezero	Poddarzhan Rezarvat (IV)	14
1980	Atanasovo Lake	Managed Reserve (-)	15
2007	Burgaski solnitsi	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	13

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
BSPB Bourgas Branch	0

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please visit Spotlight on local empowerment.

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	-	Arable land; Other urban and industrial areas; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Ruderal land
Grassland	-	Mesophile grasslands; Humid grasslands
Marine Intertidal	-

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
other	99
agriculture	1
urban/industrial/transport	1

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Atanasovsko Lake (Bulgaria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/atanasovsko-lake-iba-bulgaria on 23/12/2024.