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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2005 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
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (1996)	10–30 pairs	A1, C1, C6
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	passage (1996)	100–3,000 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Baillon's Crake Zapornia pusilla	LC	breeding (1996)	1 pairs	B2
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (1996)	15–50 pairs	B2, C6
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (1997)	12–43 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (1996)	10–43 birds	A1, C1
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage (1996)	1,400 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	passage (1996)	40–1,400 birds	B1i, C3
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1996)	110–200 pairs	C6
Black Tern Chlidonias niger	LC	breeding (1996)	5 pairs	C6

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2005. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	0 / 20 (pairs)	0	very poor
Ixobrychus minutus	3 / 32 (pairs)	10	very poor
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	0 / 5 (pairs)	0	very poor
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	0 / 155 (pairs)	0	very poor
Black Tern Chlidonias niger	0 / 5 (pairs)	0	very poor

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	very poor (<40%)	very poor (<40%)	very poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
2007	Doichov ostrov	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	70	Standing freshwater; Rivers and streams; Water fringe vegetation
Forest	14	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Alluvial and very wet forest
Artificial/Terrestrial	10	Arable land
Grassland	6	Humid grasslands
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	-

Land use	% of IBA
hunting	70
fisheries/aquaculture	60
other	30
agriculture	16

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mechka Fish-ponds (Bulgaria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mechka-fish-ponds-iba-bulgaria on 23/12/2024.