Data Zone
Country/territory: Kazakhstan
IBA Justification: A1, A3 (2007)
Area: 142,165 hectares (1,421.65 km2)
BirdLife Partner(s): Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan
| Conservation status of the Important Bird Area (IBA) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2007 | unfavourable | high | not assessed |
Site description (2007 baseline)
The IBA covers the middle section of the Sarysu river valley, approximately 60 km to the south of the district centre of Zhezkazgan.
Surrounded by clayey and chalky expanses of semi-desert plains, the Sarysu river valley is deeply cut into the huge plateau that it flows through from north-east to south-west. Within the IBA the river bed is an ancient flood valley, on average 1-1.5 km in width. Both banks of the river have an intricate gulley network and, apart from intermittent, poor quality woody and scrubby patches, is covered by dense reedbeds. The semi-desert plateau on the left bank has expansives salt-marshes and alkaline plots. Sparse Haloxylon stands constitute the only salient feature in the plateau’s landscape.
Key biodiversity
The riverbank escarpments and nearest cliffs and gulleys of the plateau are important for nesting Bubo bubo, Aquila nipalensis, Falco tinnunculus and Falco naumanni. The flood plain itself is important for Circus macrourus and Phasianus colchicus. The plateau on the left bank, with its scanty stands of saxaul forest, is important for breeding Aquila heliaca and Buteo rufinus. Tetrax tetrax also occurs in this area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Middle reaches of the Sarysu River (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/middle-reaches-of-the-sarysu-river-iba-kazakhstan on 16/01/2025.