Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
The site lies at 1,280 m in the foothills of the north-west Zagros Mountains near the Iraq border, a few kilometres west of Marivan, and comprises Lake Zaribar (1,150 ha) and the surrounding broad valley and hillsides. The lake is deep, fresh water, with extensive marshes at northern and southern ends, and is fed by several small streams and a large spring at the north-east corner, overflowing into a small river at the south end. It is often frozen in mid-winter. Habitats include extensive
Phragmites and
Typha beds,
Carex marshes with scattered clumps of
Salix and
Populus, wet meadows, arable land (mainly wheat) with orchards and
Populus groves, and stony hillsides with heavily grazed
Quercus scrub on the lower slopes and taller, less disturbed
Quercus forest higher up. Land ownership is public. There is fishing and waterfowl hunting at the lake, and a small resort area.
See boxes for key species. The extensive marshes are important for breeding waterfowl (notably
Podiceps cristatus,
Anser anser,
Aythya nyroca and
Oxyura leucocephala) and
Circus aeruginosus (c.5 pairs), and provide feeding habitat for the large numbers of
Ciconia ciconia which nest nearby. The lake is also of some importance for wintering waterfowl, especially diving ducks, and is the most important wintering site for
Mergus merganser in Iran (up to 35 birds). The nearby
Quercus forest supports a characteristic Zagros bird fauna. There is an exceptionally large breeding colony of
Ciconia ciconia in a patch of forest north of the lake.
Clamator glandarius apparently bred in 1974 (the only recent record of this species in Iran). Other notable breeding or probably breeding species are
Hieraaetus pennatus,
Dendrocopos medius,
Ficedula semitorquata,
Parus lugubris,
Remiz pendulinus and
Lanius nubicus.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There is no legal protection.
Quercus forest on the lower slopes around the lake had been badly degraded by overgrazing and cutting for fuel in the 1970s. The area has experienced major changes in recent years and as such should be thoroughly studied.
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Zaribar (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-zaribar-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 22/11/2024.
