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• 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
Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus	LC	resident	1977	common	B2
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	winter	1977	20-453 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter	1970-1977	16 individuals	A4i, B1i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	winter	1975-1976	19 individuals	A1, B2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	1970-1977	10,020 individuals	A4i, B1i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter	1970-1977	4,900 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	LC	winter	1970-1977	1,110 individuals	A4i, B1i
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	winter	1970-1977	703 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	1977-1992	1,200-1,605 individuals	A4i, B1i
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	passage	1977	29 individuals	A1, B2
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter	1977-1992	2,680-22,500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	LC	winter	1977-1992	7,750-8,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	passage	1977	3,640 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter	1970-1977	18,200 individuals	A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter	1970-1977	20,300 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	1970-1977	61,100-61,600 individuals	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter	1977-1992	9,800-56,600 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	1977-1992	3,400-30,400 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	1970-1977	57,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	winter	1970-1977	3,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	winter	1970-1977	2,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter	1977-1992	4,250-25,080 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter	1977-1992	19,100-50,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	breeding	1973	4 breeding pairs	B2
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	winter	1972	602 individuals	A1, B2
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata	LC	winter	1977	2 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	passage	1977	423 individuals	B1i
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding	1977	200 breeding pairs	B1i
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	LC	passage	1977	150 individuals	B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	passage	1977	1,860 individuals	A4i, B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter	1970-1977	630 individuals	B1i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	winter	1970-1977	2,685 individuals	A4i, B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding	1977	100 breeding pairs	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	passage	1977	450 individuals	B1i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter	1977-1992	350-690 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter	1977	28 individuals	A1
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter	1970-1977	15,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	1970-1977	816 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	passage	1977	938 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	winter	1970-1977	140 individuals	B1i
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	1977	500 individuals	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	passage	1977	1,350 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	NT	winter	1970-1977	1,500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	LC	passage	1977	880 individuals	B1i
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage	1963	1 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	1977	530 individuals	B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	1977	3,770 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	1970-1977	800 individuals	B1i
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage	1977	562 individuals	B1i
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	passage	1977	4,820 individuals	A4i, B1i
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	1970-1977	5,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	1977	1,810 individuals	B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	1970-1977	650 individuals	B1i
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	LC	passage	1977	563 individuals	B1i
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding	1977	500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus	LC	winter	1970-1977	750 individuals	B1i
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	passage	1977	2,950 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter	1970-1977	5,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus	LC	winter	1970-1977	2,250 individuals	A4i, B1i
Mew Gull Larus canus	LC	winter	1977	400 individuals	B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	passage	1977	1,850 individuals	B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	1977	300-400 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	passage	1977	1,370 individuals	A4i, B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	passage	1977	820 individuals	B1i
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	passage	1977	1,450 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	winter	1977	6 individuals	B2
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	winter	1977	50-100 individuals	A1, B2
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	winter	1977	4 individuals	B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1977-1992	100,000-499,999 individuals	A4iii

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

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
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1975	Miankaleh Peninsula, Gorgan Bay and Lapoo-Zaghmarz Ab-bandan	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1975	Miankaleh	Wildlife Refuge	71
1976	Miankaleh	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	71

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland		major (>10)
Shrubland		major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens & peatlands, Permanent freshwater marshes & pools, Permanent saline, brackish & alkaline lakes, Permanent saline/brackish/alkaline marshes & pools	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	71
rangeland/pastureland	25

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Miankaleh Peninsula and Gorgan Bay (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/miankaleh-peninsula-and-gorgan-bay-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 22/11/2024.