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The site was identified as important in 2007 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	passage	2005	195-1,011 individuals	A4i
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage	2005	732-1,662 individuals	A1, A4i
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	passage	2007	2,560-6,430 individuals	A4i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage	2005	2,400-8,050 individuals	A4i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage	2005	< 50 individuals	A1
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	LC	passage	2005	1,270-2,820 individuals	A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2007	13,200-27,600 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	1,010	3	individuals	1	very unfavourable
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula	2,820	650	individuals	24	very unfavourable
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	1,900	112	individuals	6	very unfavourable
Garganey Spatula querquedula	78	78	individuals	100	favourable
Gadwall Mareca strepera	2,430	41	individuals	2	very unfavourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	27,600	1,135	individuals	5	very unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	-	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable
Artificial/Terrestrial	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	-	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Forest	-	poor (40-69%)	unfavourable

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
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	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
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid, Steppes & dry calcareous	55
Wetlands (inland)	Standing fresh water	35
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Other urban & industrial areas, Ruderal land	10
Forest	Wooded steppe	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
rangeland/pastureland	40
hunting	30
agriculture	20
fisheries/aquaculture	20
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sorbalyk-Maybalyk Lake System (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sorbalyk-maybalyk-lake-system-iba-kazakhstan on 22/11/2024.