• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter	1971-1975	40-102 individuals	A1
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	1977-1992	460-950 individuals	A4i, B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	passage	1977	2,200 individuals	A4i, B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	winter	1977-1992	570-6,255 individuals	A4i, B1i
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	breeding	1972	10 breeding pairs	A1
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	winter	1972	37 individuals	A1
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter	1977-1992	50-1,405 individuals	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter	1977-1992	2,150-8,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	passage	1977	16,500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage	1977	350 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	winter	1977-1992	231-2,134 individuals	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	1977-1992	75-220 individuals	B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	winter	1977-1992	110-260 individuals	B1i
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter	1977-1992	900-5,400 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter	1977	6 individuals	B2
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding	1977	20 breeding pairs	A1, B2
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	passage	1977	100 individuals	A1, B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1977-1992	20,000-49,999 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1994) may differ.

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)		100
Artificial/Terrestrial		minor (<10)
Grassland		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
urban/industrial/transport	major (>10)
agriculture	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	minor (<10)
other	minor (<10)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Maharlu (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-maharlu-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 22/11/2024.