The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2007 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 |
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides |
LC |
breeding (1988–1995) |
1,315–4,050 breeding pairs |
A4i, B1i, B2 |
Great White Egret Ardea alba |
LC |
breeding (1988–1995) |
4,640–5,250 breeding pairs |
A4i, B1i |
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus |
NT |
breeding (1996) |
175 breeding pairs |
A1, A4i, B1i, B2 |
A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
winter (1995) |
30,000 individuals |
A4iii |
A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
breeding (1995) |
56,800 breeding pairs |
A4iii |
A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
passage (1995) |
7,000,000–10,000,000 individuals |
A4iii |
Habitat |
% of IBA |
Habitat detail |
Grassland |
20 |
Humid grasslands |
Forest |
5 |
Alluvial and very wet forest |
Wetlands (inland) |
major (>10) |
Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation; Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water |
Artificial/Terrestrial |
- |
Arable land |
Land use |
% of IBA |
hunting |
95 |
fisheries/aquaculture |
75 |
tourism/recreation |
20 |
agriculture |
10 |
forestry |
10 |
nature conservation and research |
5 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Volga Delta (Russia (European)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/volga-delta-iba-russia-(european) on 03/02/2025.