Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2006 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Pochard Aythya ferina | VU | passage (1987–1989) | 585–9,500 individuals | A4i |
| Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca | NT | passage (2005–2006) | 30 individuals | A1 |
| Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula | LC | passage (1987–1989) | 525–9,000 individuals | A4i |
| Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus | NT | breeding (1987–1989) | 100–215 unknown | A1, A4i |
| Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus | LC | breeding (1987–1989) | 105–430 unknown | A4i |
| Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo | LC | breeding (2005–2006) | 1,000–3,500 unknown | A4i |
| Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica | LC | breeding (1987–1989) | 100–1,200 unknown | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | passage (2005) | min 20,000 individuals | A4iii |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2018 | unfavourable | not assessed | not assessed |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| no | population | medium | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala | 1 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus | 1 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Common Pochard Aythya ferina | 5,000 / 9,500 (individuals) | 53 | unfavourable | ||
| Great Bustard Otis tarda | 1 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii | 1 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus | 2 / 2 (breeding pairs) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca | 1 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus | 1 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Saker Falcon Falco cherrug | 3 / 3 (breeding pairs) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Sarykamysh | Nature Sanctuary or Partial Reserve (IV) | 100 |
| 1983 | Shasenem | Nature Sanctuary or Partial Reserve (IV) | 53 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | 100 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 70 |
| fisheries/aquaculture | 30 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sarygamysh (Turkmenistan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sarygamysh-iba-turkmenistan on 17/01/2025.