Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca | VU | breeding (2003–2004) | 5 pairs | A1 |
| Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni | LC | breeding (2003–2004) | 30 pairs | A1 |
| Saker Falcon Falco cherrug | EN | breeding (2003–2004) | 31 pairs | A1 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | moderate | high | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Shrubland | moderate (70–90%) | good (>90%) | moderate |
| Forest | moderate (70–90%) | good (>90%) | moderate |
| Desert | good (>90%) | moderate (70–90%) | moderate |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | medium |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 72 | Desert & semi-desert - clay; Desert & semi-desert - salty; Desert & semi-desert - stony; Desert & semi-desert - sandy |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 25 | Inland cliffs |
| Shrubland | 3 | Low bushes |
| Forest | major (>10) | Wooded desert & semi-desert |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| energy production and mining | minor (<10) |
| urban/industrial/transport | minor (<10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Western cliff faces of the Ustyurt Plateau (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/western-cliff-faces-of-the-ustyurt-plateau-iba-kazakhstan on 25/12/2024.