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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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	passage (1996–1997)	4,000–6,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	passage (1996–1997)	500–1,500 birds	A4i, B1i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage (1997–2007)	300–500 birds	A1, A4i, B1i
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	passage (1996–1997)	10,000–20,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage (2006–2007)	30,000–40,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage (1996–2007)	20–50 birds	A1
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	passage (2006–2007)	200–300 birds	B1i
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina	LC	passage (1996–1997)	6,000–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	breeding (1996–2007)	30,000–100,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	breeding (2006–2007)	2,000–2,500 pairs	B2
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	passage (2006–2007)	10,000–20,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	passage (1996–1997)	100–150 birds	A1
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (1996–2007)	10–30 pairs	A1
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	passage (1996–1997)	20,000–30,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	passage (1996–1997)	30,000–40,000 birds	B1i
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena	LC	breeding (1996–2007)	500–1,500 pairs	A4i, B1i
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena	LC	passage (2006–2007)	5,000–10,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	breeding (1996–1997)	2,000–4,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	passage (2006–2007)	10,000–15,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	breeding (1996–2007)	300–800 pairs	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	passage (2006–2007)	5,000–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	600 pairs	A1
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	passage (2006–2007)	1,500–2,000 birds	A1
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	breeding (1997–2007)	8,000–12,000 pairs	B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	passage (2006–2007)	100,000–150,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	50–70 pairs	B2
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	200–500 pairs	B1i, B2
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	passage (2006–2007)	1,000–3,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	30–50 pairs	B2
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	passage (1996–1997)	6,000–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	passage (1996–1997)	5,000–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding (1996–2007)	300–500 pairs	B2
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	100–200 pairs	A4i, B1i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	passage (1996–2007)	500–1,500 birds	A4i, B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	150–300 pairs	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	passage (1996–2007)	1,000–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	breeding (1996–2007)	1,000–2,730 pairs	B1i
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	passage (1996–2007)	5,000–10,000 birds	B1i
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	passage (1996–2007)	1,000–5,000 birds	B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	passage (1996–1997)	1,500–3,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2006–2007)	1,000–2,000 birds	A1, B1i
Great Snipe Gallinago media	NT	passage (1996–1997)	1,000–2,000 birds	A1
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	passage (1996–2007)	100–1,000 birds	A1
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	passage (1996–1997)	3,500–4,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus	LC	passage (1996–1997)	5,000–10,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	passage (1996–2007)	200,000–300,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	passage (1996–1997)	10,000–20,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	passage (1996–2007)	50–200 birds	B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	passage (1996–1997)	80,000–100,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1996–2007)	100–200 pairs	B2
Black Tern Chlidonias niger	LC	passage (1996–2007)	60,000–120,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	passage (2006–2007)	20–50 birds	A1
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	breeding (1996–2007)	10–24 pairs	B2
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	10–20 pairs	A1
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	passage (2006–2007)	min 100 birds	A1
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis	LC	breeding (2006–2007)	100–200 pairs	B2
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	VU	breeding (1996–2007)	10–20 pairs	A1
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	VU	passage (1996–2007)	300–1,600 birds	A1
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes	n/a	passage (1996–2007)	2,000–4,000 birds	B1iv
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding (1996–2007)	min 20,000 pairs	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (1996–2007)	min 100,000 birds	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2006) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	5,000 / 6,000 (birds)	84	moderate
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	1,000 / 1,500 (birds)	67	poor
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	500 / 500 (birds)	100	good
Greylag Goose Anser anser	100 / 100 (pairs)	100	good
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	30 / 50 (birds)	60	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	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%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% 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%)	No management plan exists, but the management planning process has begun	The conservation measures needed for the site are being compre­hensively and effectively implemented	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Del'ta Dona	Zakaznik (IV)	33
-	Rostovskoe GOOH (Azovskiy uchastok)	Managed Resource Protected Area (VI)	6
1819	Donskoj rybny zapovednik (Donskoe zapretnoe rybnoe prostranstvo)	Nature Park (II)	13
1980	Girlovskiy	Zakaznik (IV)	6

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	30	Humid grasslands
Artificial/Terrestrial	24	Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Urban parks and gardens
Marine Neritic	9
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	49
not utilised	37
hunting	20
agriculture	17
fisheries/aquaculture	14
tourism/recreation	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Delta of the River Don (Russia (European)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/delta-of-the-river-don-iba-russia-(european) on 23/12/2024.