Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca | VU | breeding | 2003-2004 | 5 breeding pairs | A1 |
| Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni | LC | breeding | 2003-2004 | 30 breeding pairs | A1 |
| Saker Falcon Falco cherrug | EN | breeding | 2003-2004 | 31 breeding pairs | A1 |
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 (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | near favourable | 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%) | near favourable |
| Forest | moderate (70-90%) | good (> 90%) | near favourable |
| Desert | good (> 90%) | moderate (70-90%) | near favourable |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | moderate to rapid deterioration | high |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | moderate to rapid deterioration | high |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | whole area/population (>90%) | slow but significant deterioration | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | slow but significant deterioration | low |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | 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 | A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | medium |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | Desert & semi-desert - clay, Desert & semi-desert - salty, Desert & semi-desert - stony, Desert & semi-desert - sandy | 72 |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | Inland cliffs | 25 |
| Shrubland | Low bushes | 3 |
| Forest | Wooded desert & semi-desert | major (>10) |
| 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 23/11/2024.