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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 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
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	winter (-)	118 individuals	A1, B2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter (-)	400–1,400 individuals	B1i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	winter (-)	6,618–57,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage (-)	820–1,240 individuals	B1i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	non-breeding (-)	350–2,160 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	passage (-)	13,000–57,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	14,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage (-)	4,000–8,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	breeding (-)	15–20 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	breeding (1998)	20 breeding pairs	A3, B2
Great Bustard Otis tarda	EN	breeding (2000)	83–110 individuals	A1, A3, B2
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	breeding (1998)	2–3 breeding pairs	B2
Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus	LC	passage (-)	800–1,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii	LC	breeding (-)	100–120 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding (1998)	400 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1998)	200 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus	LC	breeding (-)	450–600 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	breeding (1998)	3–5 breeding pairs	B2
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	non-breeding (-)	200–300 individuals	B1i
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis	EN	breeding (1998)	1–2 breeding pairs	A3, B2
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	breeding (1998)	2 breeding pairs	A1, A3
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	breeding (1998)	1–2 breeding pairs	A3, B2
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding (1998)	40 breeding pairs	B3
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding (1998)	100 breeding pairs	A1, B1iii, B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (-)	35,000–80,000 individuals	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (-)	20,000–60,000 individuals	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the key species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	moderate (70–90%)	poor (40–69%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happen­ing now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	rapid deteri­oration (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid deteri­oration (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	no deteri­oration (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No manage­ment plan exists, but the manage­ment planning process has begun	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1992	Tuz Golu	SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) (-)	36
2002	Tuz Golu OCKB	Specially Protected Area of Marine Importance (Barcelona Convention) (-)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	38	Mud flats and sand flats; Standing brackish and salt water
Desert	36
Other	26

Land use	% of IBA
not utilised	60
urban/industrial/transport	30
hunting	5
agriculture	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tuz Lake (Türkiye). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tuz-lake-iba-türkiye on 21/01/2025.