IQ071
Sawa Lake and Area


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2014 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
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris NT winter (2010) 140 birds A1
Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii VU winter (2010) frequent A1

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2014 not assessed very high very low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes unset good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Human intrusions and disturbance happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations) very high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%) No management planning has taken place Not assessed very low

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine major (>10)
Desert major (>10)
Shrubland minor (<10)

Land use

Land use % of IBA
urban/industrial/transport major (>10)
hunting major (>10)
fisheries/aquaculture major (>10)


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sawa Lake and Area (Iraq). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sawa-lake-and-area-iba-iraq on 23/12/2024.