• Summary
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The site was identified as important in 2006 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
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	breeding	2006	50-249 individuals	A1
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo	LC	breeding	2006	48 individuals	A3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	breeding	2006	250-999 individuals	A1
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	breeding	2006	< 50 individuals	A3
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis	EN	breeding	2005-2006	300-350 breeding pairs	A3
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	breeding	2006	2 breeding pairs	A1, A3
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	breeding	2005-2006	< 50 individuals	A3
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding	2005-2006	74 individuals	A1
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	breeding	2006	18 breeding pairs	A1
White-winged Lark Alauda leucoptera	LC	breeding	2006	1,000-2,499 individuals	A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2006) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Greylag Goose Anser anser	1	38	individuals	100	favourable
Goosander Mergus merganser	4	4	individuals	100	favourable
Garganey Spatula querquedula	1	120	individuals	100	favourable
Gadwall Mareca strepera	1	9	individuals	100	favourable
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	100	8	individuals	8	very unfavourable
Anas crecca	30	30	individuals	100	favourable
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	96	96	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	994	994	individuals	100	favourable
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	164	164	individuals	100	favourable
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	2	2	individuals	100	favourable
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	2	2	individuals	100	favourable
Ruff Calidris pugnax	4	4	individuals	100	favourable
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos	3	3	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	20	20	individuals	100	favourable
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	526	526	individuals	100	favourable
Mew Gull Larus canus	62	62	individuals	100	favourable
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	80	80	individuals	100	favourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	48	48	individuals	100	favourable
Milvus migrans	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Common Hoopoe Upupa epops	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
European Roller Coracias garrulus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus	1	1	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Magpie Pica pica	2	2	individuals	100	favourable
Carrion Crow Corvus corone	8	8	individuals	100	favourable
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica	12	12	individuals	100	favourable
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris	30	30	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus	20	20	individuals	100	favourable
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola	10	10	individuals	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	moderate (70-90%)	good (> 90%)	near favourable
Forest	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	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%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	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
Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	negligible

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Steppes & dry calcareous, Humid	80
Forest	Flood-plain, Native coniferous	10
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Inland cliffs, Scree, boulders & bare rocky areas	7
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams, Standing brackish & salt water, Standing fresh water	3

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
rangeland/pastureland	80
forestry	5
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)
not utilised	minor (<10)

Mixed, with state ownership accounting for the majority.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Western and northern foothills of the Kalba Range (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/western-and-northern-foothills-of-the-kalba-range-iba-kazakhstan on 23/11/2024.