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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1994 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	winter (1988)	173 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter (1977–1992)	950–7,859 birds	A4i, B1i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter (1975)	21–37 birds	A1
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter (1977–1992)	400–1,388 birds	A4i, B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	winter (1977–1992)	26–750 birds	A4i, B1i
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	breeding (1974)	15–20 pairs	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	winter (1977)	1,000 birds	A1, A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter (1977–1992)	350–1,915 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (1977–1992)	2,300–8,070 birds	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter (1977–1992)	1,260–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (1977–1992)	3,750–12,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	winter (1970–1977)	278 birds	B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter (1970–1977)	582 birds	B1i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	winter (1970–1977)	351 birds	B1i
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter (1970–1977)	3,060 birds	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (1970–1977)	300 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (1970–1977)	250 birds	B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	winter (1987–1992)	2,500 birds	B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1977)	40 pairs	B1i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1977)	20,000 birds	A4iii

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1976	Heleh	Protected Area (V)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Desert	16
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hilleh Protected Area (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hilleh-protected-area-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 23/12/2024.