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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
Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus	LC	resident (1977)	common	B2
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	winter (1977)	20–453 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	16 birds	A4i, B1i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	winter (1975–1976)	19 birds	A1, B2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter (1970–1977)	10,020 birds	A4i, B1i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	winter (1970–1977)	4,900 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	LC	winter (1970–1977)	1,110 birds	A4i, B1i
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	winter (1970–1977)	703 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter (1977–1992)	1,200–1,605 birds	A4i, B1i
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	passage (1977)	29 birds	A1, B2
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter (1977–1992)	2,680–22,500 birds	A4i, B1i
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	LC	winter (1977–1992)	7,750–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	passage (1977)	3,640 birds	A4i, B1i
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter (1970–1977)	18,200 birds	A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter (1970–1977)	20,300 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (1970–1977)	61,100–61,600 birds	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter (1977–1992)	9,800–56,600 birds	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (1977–1992)	3,400–30,400 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter (1970–1977)	57,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	3,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	winter (1970–1977)	2,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter (1977–1992)	4,250–25,080 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter (1977–1992)	19,100–50,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	breeding (1973)	4 pairs	B2
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	winter (1972)	602 birds	A1, B2
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata	LC	winter (1977)	2 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	passage (1977)	423 birds	B1i
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (1977)	200 pairs	B1i
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	LC	passage (1977)	150 birds	B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	passage (1977)	1,860 birds	A4i, B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter (1970–1977)	630 birds	B1i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	winter (1970–1977)	2,685 birds	A4i, B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding (1977)	100 pairs	B1i
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	passage (1977)	450 birds	B1i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (1977–1992)	350–690 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (1977)	28 birds	A1
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter (1970–1977)	15,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (1970–1977)	816 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	passage (1977)	938 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	140 birds	B1i
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage (1977)	500 birds	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	passage (1977)	1,350 birds	A4i, B1i
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	NT	winter (1970–1977)	1,500 birds	A4i, B1i
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	LC	passage (1977)	880 birds	B1i
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage (1963)	1 birds	A1, A4i, B1i
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage (1977)	530 birds	B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (1977)	3,770 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (1970–1977)	800 birds	B1i
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage (1977)	562 birds	B1i
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	passage (1977)	4,820 birds	A4i, B1i
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (1970–1977)	5,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage (1977)	1,810 birds	B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	650 birds	B1i
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	LC	passage (1977)	563 birds	B1i
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1977)	500 pairs	A4i, B1i
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	750 birds	B1i
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	passage (1977)	2,950 birds	A4i, B1i
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	5,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	2,250 birds	A4i, B1i
Mew Gull Larus canus	LC	winter (1977)	400 birds	B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	passage (1977)	1,850 birds	B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1977)	300–400 pairs	A4i, B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	passage (1977)	1,370 birds	A4i, B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	passage (1977)	820 birds	B1i
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	passage (1977)	1,450 birds	A4i, B1i
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	winter (1977)	6 birds	B2
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	winter (1977)	50–100 birds	A1, B2
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	winter (1977)	4 birds	B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (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
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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	Miankaleh	Wildlife Refuge (IV)	71
1976	Miankaleh	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	71

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

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 22/12/2024.