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The site was identified as important in 2004 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
Lesser Whistling-duck Dendrocygna javanica	LC	resident	2004	present	A4i
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus	LC	non-breeding	2004	present	A4i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	non-breeding	2004	present	A4i
Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri	CR	winter	2004	present	A1
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	non-breeding	2004	present	A4i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	2004	present	A4i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	-	2004	present	A4i
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus	NT	resident	2004	present	A1
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis	NT	resident	2004	present	A1, A4i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2004	present	A4i
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea	CR	winter	2004	present	A1
Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis	EN	non-breeding	2004	present	A1
Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus	LC	breeding	2004	present	A4i
Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus	EN	resident	2004	present	A1
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	unknown	2004	min 20,000 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2004) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1981	Chilika Lake	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	71
1987	Chilka (Nalaban)	Sanctuary	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Nalabana Bird Sanctuary (Chilika Lake) (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/nalabana-bird-sanctuary-(chilika-lake)-iba-india on 22/11/2024.