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CN112
Ebi Nur and Kuytun River
Location China (mainland), Xinjiang
Central coordinates 82o 55.00' East  44o 53.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii
Area 120,000 ha
Altitude 195 - 300m
Year of IBA assessment 2009





Site description Ebi Nur is located in the northern part of the Tian Shan mountains, at the south-western tip of Junggar Basin, 30 km north of Jinghe County, 40 km east of Bole (Bortala) City and 400 km west of Urumqi. There are three rivers flowing into this isolated salt lake. It is the second largest lake in Xinjiang but also quite shallow, with an average depth of 2-3 m, meaning that drought or irrigation could damage the ecosystem and the lake might dry up (like Lop Nor). The IBA is an important stop-over site for migratory birds, and the reedbeds and marshes in the south are important breeding habitats for birds.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Bean Goose Anser fabalis unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Greylag Goose Anser anser unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Mute Swan Cygnus olor unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Endangered 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4iii   

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)   -

Other biodiversity 385 species of arid-zone plants have been recorded in the area, and 117 species of animals including 41 nationally protected species (categories one and two).

Conservation response The IBA overlaps with a nature reserve of 267,085 ha, which was established at the provincial level in 2000, and upgraded to a national nature reserve in 2007.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ebi Nur and Kuytun River. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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