Data Zone
Country/territory: Iran, Islamic Republic of
IBA criteria met: A4i, A4iii, B1i (1994)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 4,700 hectares (47.00 km2)
Site description (1994 baseline)
A freshwater lake of at least 500 ha lying at c.2,300 m on the north slope of the southern Zagros, c.105 km north-north-east of Shiraz. Situated in a region of rolling Artemisia steppe and wheat cultivation, the lake and marsh are generally frozen all winter and can dry out completely in summer. The dominant vegetation in the eastern part is Butomus umbellatus and Sparganium, and in the western part mainly grassy plants.
Key biodiversity
See box for key species. A very important staging area for Phoenicopterus ruber, geese, ducks and Grus grus, and occasionally (if not frozen) also a very important wintering area. In spring and autumn the lake can hold as many as 120,000 migratory waterfowl (including P. ruber and G. grus). Other passage migrants include Pelecanus onocrotalus, Anser anser and Tadorna ferruginea.
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: Kaftar lake (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kaftar-lake-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 23/12/2024.