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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2006 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
Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis	LC	resident (2004–2006)	4–5 pairs	A3
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus	NT	resident (2004–2006)	1–4 pairs	A1
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	resident (2004–2006)	1–2 pairs	A1
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	25–30 pairs	A3
Hume's Lark Calandrella acutirostris	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	15–25 pairs	A3
Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	6–9 pairs	A3
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria	LC	resident (2004–2006)	10–15 pairs	A3
Himalayan Rubythroat Calliope pectoralis	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	5–8 pairs	A3
White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	10–15 pairs	A3
Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	15–20 pairs	A3
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	20–30 pairs	A3
Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	30–35 pairs	A3
White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	20–30 pairs	A3
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	20–25 pairs	A3
White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes	LC	resident (2004–2006)	10–15 pairs	A3
Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	7–8 pairs	A3
Eurasian Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguineus	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	10–15 pairs	A3
Plain Mountain-finch Leucosticte nemoricola	LC	resident (2004–2006)	30–40 pairs	A3
Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus	LC	breeding (2004–2006)	5–8 pairs	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2006) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1969	Искандеркульский	Заказник (IV)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	5
Forest	-
Grassland	-
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	-
Shrubland	-
Wetlands (inland)	-

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	5
urban/industrial/transport	5
tourism/recreation	5
agriculture	-
forestry	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Iskanderkul lake and mountains (Tajikistan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/iskanderkul-lake-and-mountains-iba-tajikistan on 23/12/2024.