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The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	winter	1996-2004	55-1,890 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	LC	winter	1996-2004	750-12,593 individuals	A4i, B1i
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	1996-2004	600-9,200 individuals	A4i, B1i, B3
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter	1996-2004	37 individuals	B1i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	winter	1996-2004	120-340 individuals	A1, B2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	1996-2004	3,500-19,200 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	winter	1996-2004	2,200-11,950 individuals	B1i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter	1996-2004	1,100-3,652 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	LC	winter	1996-2004	2,500-6,500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Smew Mergellus albellus	LC	winter	1996-2004	75-971 individuals	B1i, B2
Goosander Mergus merganser	LC	winter	1996-2004	175-850 individuals	B1i
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	winter	1996-2004	420-1,560 individuals	B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	1996-2004	4,100-4,600 individuals	A4i, B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	winter	1996-2004	950-1,800 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	winter	1996-2004	200-1,600 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina	LC	winter	1996-2004	16,000-188,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter	1996-2004	31,000-197,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	winter	1996-2004	520-4,100 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	LC	winter	1996-2004	25,000-81,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	winter	1996-2004	1,400-28,000 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	winter	1996-2004	1,600-4,000 individuals	B1i
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter	1996-2004	12,000-41,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter	1996-2004	7,000-21,000 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	1996-2004	11,000-120,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter	1996-2004	30,000-93,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	1996-2004	7,000-25,000 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	1996-2004	18,000-70,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis	LC	winter	1996-2004	5,640-6,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena	LC	winter	1996-2004	300-3,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	winter	1996-2004	1,650-2,400 individuals	B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	winter	1996-2004	2,600-3,500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter	1996-2004	3,750-14,500 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio	LC	resident	1996-2004	10,000-44,500 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter	1996-2004	62,000-265,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	winter	1990-2004	2,800-30,000 individuals	A1
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding	1996-2004	800-1,350 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding	1996-2004	900-3,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding	1996-2004	3,000-4,700 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding	1996-2000	3,800-16,800 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	LC	breeding	1996-2004	1,400-54,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	winter	1996-2004	200-983 individuals	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding	1996-2004	1,000-13,500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter	1996-2004	23-190 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	breeding	1996-2004	2,000-11,200 breeding pairs	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter	1996-2004	7,100-9,825 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter	1996-2004	5,000-12,046 individuals	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	1996-2004	1,800-4,250 individuals	A4i, B1i
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	winter	1996-2004	40 individuals	A1, A3, B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	1996-2004	1,234-1,500 individuals	B1i, B2
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	winter	1996-2004	6,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	1996-2004	4,060-7,653 individuals	B1i, B2
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	winter	1996-2004	2,600-3,620 individuals	B1i
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	winter	1996-2004	14 individuals	A1, B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding	1980-1989	60,000 breeding pairs	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1996	180,000-362,000 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2005) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2005. The most recent assessment (2008) is shown below.

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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	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

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1929	Gizilaghaj State Nature Reserve	State Nature Reserve	67
1978	Lesser Gizilaghaj State Nature Sanctuary	State Nature Sanctuary	8
2001	Ghizil-Agaj	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	75

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

Name	Year formed
Gyzylagach branch of Azerbaijan Ornithological Society	2006

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please click here.

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Desert	Semidesert	10
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland	5
Shrubland		5
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Standing brackish and salt water, Water fringe vegetation, Shingle or stony beaches, Sand dunes and beaches	major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	80
nature conservation and research	70
agriculture	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gizilagach (Azerbaijan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gizilagach-iba-azerbaijan on 22/11/2024.