• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2007 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
Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis	LC	resident (2004)	250-999 birds	A3
Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii	LC	resident (1979–2007)	1–2 pairs	A3
Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis	NT	resident (2004)	10–20 birds	A3
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus	NT	resident (2004)	5–10 birds	A1
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus	LC	resident (2004)	common	A3
Hume's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus humei	LC	breeding (2004)	abundant	A3
Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus	LC	breeding (2004)	uncommon	A3
White-browed Tit-warbler Leptopoecile sophiae	LC	resident (2004)	50-249 birds	A3
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria	LC	resident (2004)	rare	A3
Himalayan Rubythroat Calliope pectoralis	LC	breeding (2004)	common	A3
Eversmann's Redstart Phoenicurus erythronotus	LC	breeding (2004)	uncommon	A3
Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus coeruleocephala	LC	breeding (2004)	uncommon	A3
White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus	LC	breeding (2004)	uncommon	A3
Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana	LC	breeding (2004)	common	A3
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris	LC	breeding (2004)	common	A3
Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens	LC	breeding (2004)	abundant	A3
Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis	LC	breeding (2004)	abundant	A3
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta	LC	breeding (2004)	abundant	A3
White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes	LC	resident (2004)	common	A3
Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys	LC	resident (2004)	frequent	A3
Great Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilla	LC	breeding (2004)	< 50 birds	A3
Red-fronted Rosefinch Carpodacus puniceus	LC	breeding (2004)	< 50 birds	A3
Plain Mountain-finch Leucosticte nemoricola	LC	breeding (2004)	abundant	A3
Brandt's Mountain-finch Leucosticte brandti	LC	breeding (2004)	present	A3
Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus	LC	resident (2004)	abundant	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Introduced vegetation	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate
Artificial/Terrestrial	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Wetlands (inland)	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Grassland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Shrubland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Forest	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Geological events	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
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
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	40	Steppes & dry calcareous; Alpine, subalpine & boreal
Shrubland	30	Low bushes; Juniper scrub; Scrub
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	20	Inland cliffs; Scree, boulders & bare rocky areas
Forest	10	Native coniferous; Broadleaved deciduous; Treeline ecotone
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)	Perennial crops, orchards & groves; Ruderal land
Introduced vegetation	minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	minor (<10)	Rivers & streams; Standing fresh water

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
tourism/recreation	50
forestry	20
rangeland/pastureland	15
urban/industrial/transport	10
agriculture	5
water management	minor (<10)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Big Almaty Gorge (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/big-almaty-gorge-iba-kazakhstan on 23/12/2024.