Country/territory: Iran, Islamic Republic of
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, B1i, B2 (1994)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 70 ha
Site description (1994 baseline)
The Haft Barm (Seven Lakes) are a group of small, slightly saline lakes lying at 2,200 m in hollows in broken undulating country east of Kuh-i Anar and c.65 km west-north-west of Shiraz. Fed by local run-off, principally spring snow-melt, they are generally frozen in mid-winter. The southernmost five lakes generally dry out completely in summer. The two largest (in the north) are surrounded by belts of Phragmites with patches of Butomus, but the other smaller lakes are almost barren except for algae and some small patches of Butomus. The surrounding uplands support tragacanthic steppe communities and some wheat farming. The lakes are used by the local nomadic tribes for watering livestock, washing and reed-cutting. Land ownership is public.
Key biodiversity
See box for key species. Marmaronetta angustirostris has been recorded in summer and probably breeds. Tringa totanus probably breeds. Notable on autumn passage are Tadorna ferruginea and Fulica atra; Anas strepera and A. penelope are also passage migrants.
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: Haft Barm (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/haft-barm-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 22/11/2024.