Data Zone
Country/territory: Iran, Islamic Republic of
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, B1i, B2 (1994)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 120 hectares (1.20 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 1994 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (1994 baseline)
Lake Gori is a fresh to brackish, eutrophic lake lying at 1,950 m on the north side of the main Tabriz--Tehran highway, c.40 km east-south-east of Tabriz. It is fed by local rainfall, springs and small streams, receiving the bulk of its water after the spring snow-melt, and overflows at its north-east corner into a small stream; there is little fluctuation in water level. The bottom is a mud deposit on shale and rocks. The lake is generally frozen by late December and remains so, often under deep snow, all winter. There are extensive areas of Phragmites, Juncus, Carex and Scirpus around the shore and abundant underwater vegetation. The surrounding area is semi-arid steppe with one small settlement and wheat cultivation on the west and damp grassland on the south-west. Sport fishing, grazing, reed-cutting and wildfowl hunting occur.
Key biodiversity
See box for key species. An important site for breeding waterfowl, notably Podiceps nigricollis and Oxyura leucocephala, and the only known breeding locality in Iran for Podiceps grisegena; Pelecanus onocrotalus occurs in some years, presumably feeding birds from Lake Uromiyeh. Other breeding species include Fulica atra (1,500-2,000 birds) and Himantopus himantopus (50-100 birds). A wide variety of waterfowl occurs on passage, especially Anas querquedula and Fulica atra, and including Tadorna tadorna and T. ferruginea, but the lake has no value for wintering waterfowl as it is completely frozen for most of the winter.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gori Gol (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gori-gol-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 23/12/2024.