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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2008 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 (2006)	29 birds	A1
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage (1986)	common	A1
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage (1986)	common	A1
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina	LC	passage (2005–2006)	4,375–39,100 birds	A4i
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	breeding (2006)	17,905 birds	A4i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	passage (2005)	50 birds	A1
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	breeding (2006)	383–624 birds	A4i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	passage (2005–2006)	86,730 birds	A4i
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus	CR	passage (1986)	rare	A1
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo	LC	passage (2005)	1,075 birds	A4i
Great Bustard Otis tarda	EN	breeding (1986)	rare	A1, A3
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	passage (2005–2006)	403 birds	A4i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	breeding (2006)	428 birds	A1, A4i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	breeding (2006)	473 birds	A4i
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	passage (2005)	1,879 birds	A4i
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	passage (1986)	rare	A1
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	breeding (2006)	1,010 birds	A1, A4i
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	breeding (1986)	frequent	A1, A3
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis	EN	breeding (1986)	common	A3
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	breeding (2005–2006)	5 birds	A1, A3
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding (1986)	frequent	A1
White-winged Lark Alauda leucoptera	LC	breeding (1986)	common	A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2005–2006)	20,000 birds	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2008. The most recent assessment (2010) 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%)	poor
Shrubland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Grassland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Desert	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Turgayskiy	State Nature Reserve (-)	53
1967	Turgaiskiy	Zakaznik (IV)	85
2007	Irgiz-Turgay	Regional Zakaznik (-)	15

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	60	Rivers & streams; Water-fringe vegetation; Standing brackish & salt water; Standing fresh water
Desert	20	Desert & semi-desert - clay; Desert & semi-desert - salty
Grassland	15	Humid; Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe; Steppes & dry calcareous
Shrubland	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	35
hunting	30
agriculture	20
not utilised	10
water management	5
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Irgiz-Turgay Lakes (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/irgiz-turgay-lakes-iba-kazakhstan on 23/12/2024.