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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 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
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	breeding (-)	2–3 pairs	A1, B2
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	non-breeding (2000)	18–39 birds	A1
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	non-breeding (1989)	2,500 birds	B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	non-breeding (-)	3,030–9,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	non-breeding (-)	3,500–4,430 birds	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	non-breeding (1989)	2,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	breeding (2000)	350 birds	B1i
Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii	LC	breeding (-)	10–15 pairs	B2
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding (-)	75–85 pairs	B2
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	non-breeding (2001)	365 birds	B1i

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	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

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
2016	Erçek Gölü	Wetland of National Importance (-)	-

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	100	Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation

Land use	% of IBA
not utilised	95
agriculture	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Erçek Lake (Türkiye). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/erçek-lake-iba-türkiye on 22/12/2024.