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The site was identified as important in 2004 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
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

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2004) may differ.

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 trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	moderate (70-90%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	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	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with 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

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)	Mud flats and sand flats, Standing brackish and salt water	38
Desert		36
Other		26

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tuz Lake (Türkiye). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tuz-lake-iba-türkiye on 22/11/2024.