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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
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	63 birds	A4i, B1i
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter (1977–1992)	80–4,500 birds	A4i, B1i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage (1977)	265 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage (1977)	35,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	resident (1977)	4,000–5,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter (1977–1992)	16,140–64,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	resident (1977)	300–500 pairs	A4i, B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	winter (1977–1992)	224–3,500 birds	A4i, B1i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (1977)	4 pairs	B1i
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	passage (1977)	21,200 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	passage (1977)	8,225 birds	A4i, B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	breeding (1977)	15,000–25,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	19,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Great Bustard Otis tarda	EN	non-breeding (1977)	19 birds	A1
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	breeding (1977)	common	B2
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding (1977)	50–100 pairs	B1i
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding (1977)	100 pairs	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding (1977)	90 pairs	B1i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	breeding (1977)	1,000–1,600 pairs	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding (1977)	1,500–2,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage (1977)	13,600 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	breeding (1977)	300–500 pairs	A4i, B1i
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	NT	breeding (1977)	500–1,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	NT	passage (1977)	3,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	passage (1977)	9,440 birds	B1i
Little Stint Calidris minuta	LC	passage (1977)	10,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	breeding (1977)	2,000–3,000 pairs	B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage (1977)	8,330 birds	B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	7,080 birds	B1i
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	LC	passage (1977)	1,395 birds	A4i, B1i
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1977)	50–100 pairs	B1i
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	breeding (1977)	3,000–4,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	passage (1977)	19,565 birds	A4i, B1i
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus	LC	breeding (1977)	4,000–5,000 pairs	A4i, B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1977)	100–200 pairs	B1i
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	breeding (1977)	10 pairs	B2
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus	LC	breeding (1977)	5 pairs	B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1977–1992)	50,000-99,999 birds	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (1977–1992)	100,000-499,999 birds	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1994. The most recent assessment (1994) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Pollution	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high

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
1975	Urumieh lake	National Park (II)	96
1976	Lake Urmia [or Orumiyeh]	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	96

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	96
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)
Grassland	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	96
tourism/recreation	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Uromiyeh (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-uromiyeh-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 23/12/2024.