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

The site was identified as important in 2004 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
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	passage	2003	present	A4i
Bean Goose Anser fabalis	LC	winter	2003	present	A4i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage	2003	present	A4i
Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii	NT	breeding	2003	present	A4i

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2004) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Artificial/Terrestrial	good (> 90%)	poor (40-69%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Geological events	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1982	Utonaiko	国指定鳥獣保護区	7
1991	Utonai-ko	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	7

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Rice paddies, Forestry and agro-industrial plantations	-
Wetlands (inland)	Freshwater lakes and pools, Permanent swamps	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Utonai, Yufutu plain (Japan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-utonai-yufutu-plain-iba-japan on 22/11/2024.