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RU168
Kabardino-Balkarski Nature Reserve
Location Russia (European), Kabardino-Balkarskaya Republic
Central coordinates 42o 30.00' East  43o 39.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3, B2, B3
Area 107,500 ha
Altitude 676 - 5,201m
Year of IBA assessment 2008





Ornithological information Based on data published in the previous European IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989), the site is important for Tetrao mlokosiewiczi. Other breeding species include Tetraogallus sp. and Alectoris chukar.

Site description The upper reaches of the Rivers Cherek Balkarski, Cherek Bizengiyski, and Chegem, with forests and meadows (mainly high mountain zones; several 5,000-m peaks in the Bokovoy range) in a rugged landscape with deep ravines, etc.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Caucasian Snowcock Tetraogallus caucasicus resident  1990  3,000 [units unknown]  -  A2, A3, B3  Least Concern 
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus resident  1990  10 [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca breeding  1990  3 breeding pairs  -  A1, A3  Vulnerable 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos resident  1990  4-6 [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus resident  1990  3,000 [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria resident  1990  2,500 [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis resident  1990  50-100 [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris resident  1990  2,500 [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Great Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilla resident  1990  500-1,000 [units unknown]  -  A3, B2  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Kabardino-Balkarsky Zapovednik 81,507 protected area contained by site 81,507  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Native coniferous woodland  7%
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland  16%
Other   33%
Shrubland   1%
Rocky areas Scree & boulders  33%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
tourism/recreation 10%
nature conservation and research 100%

Acknowledgements The identification of IBAs and information collected between 1980 and 2009 provided by the IBA network of the Russian Bird Conservation Union (RBCU).

References A.D.Lipkovich

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kabardino-Balkarski Nature Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife