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The site was identified as important in 2006 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
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	passage	2006	213 individuals	A1
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	LC	passage	2006	1,500 individuals	A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2006	15,000-100,000 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2006) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	80	80	individuals	100	favourable
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	720	200	individuals	28	very unfavourable
Gadwall Mareca strepera	1	10	individuals	100	favourable
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	20	1	individuals	5	very unfavourable
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	8,200	4	individuals	1	very unfavourable
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Mew Gull Larus canus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis	1	20	individuals	100	favourable
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris	2	2	individuals	100	favourable
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava	5	5	individuals	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	moderate (70-90%)	good (> 90%)	near favourable
Wetlands (inland)	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	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

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	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Steppes & dry calcareous	50
Wetlands (inland)	Standing brackish & salt water, Water-fringe vegetation	50

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
hunting	80
rangeland/pastureland	30

Mixed state and private (farmers own a minor part).

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Saumalkol Lake (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/saumalkol-lake-iba-kazakhstan on 25/11/2024.