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AZ035
Shahdidi spit
Location Azerbaijan, Garadag
Central coordinates 50o 25.00' East  40o 0.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i
Area 800 ha
Altitude
Year of IBA assessment 2005

Azerbaijan Ornithological Society (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information The IBA is notable for passage and wintering Pelecaniformes and Ciconiiformes. At least 20,000 ducks and 40,000 Fulica atra migrate through the area. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Phalacrocorax pygmeus (non-breeding: 2-4 winter in some years), Circus macrourus (3-4 winter).

Site description The site is the tip of the Absheron peninsula near Baku, formerly with sandy beaches, about a third of which was flooded as the level of the Caspian Sea rose during the 1980s. As a result of water level raising the tip of the spit got detached and form a long island named Suiti. The flooded area is now being colonized by reeds. All land-uses are prohibited.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus winter  1996-2005  45-103 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna winter  1996-2005  10-2,213 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos winter  1996-2005  1,150-23,000 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina winter  1996-2005  500-9,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina winter  1996-2005  2,000-5,600 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca winter  1996-2005  22 individuals  medium  A1  Near Threatened 
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula passage  -  10,000 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula winter  1996-2005  8,645-15,043 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1996-2005  5-20 individuals  medium  A1  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo passage  1996-2005  200-30,000 individuals  poor  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra passage  1996-2005  4,600-40,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans breeding  1996-2004  3,000 breeding pairs  poor  B1i  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1996-2004  2,000 breeding pairs  poor  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1996-2004  6,000 breeding pairs  poor  B1i  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1996-2005  -  unknown  A4iii   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1996-2005  -  unknown  A4iii   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds breeding  1996-2005  -  unknown  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Absheron National Park National Park 783 protected area contained by site 783  

Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name Year formed
info avialable at AOS 2005

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Water fringe vegetation  -
Sea Sea inlets and coastal features  60%
Desert Semidesert  10%
Coastline Sand dunes & beaches  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
military 10%
Notes: There is a military base close to the Nature Reserve gate.
nature conservation and research 90%
Notes: There is a State Nature Reserve (former Sanctuary) cover about 90% of this site. It is proposed to create a Natural Park on this territory.

Other biodiversity One of most important place for the Caspian Seal Phoca caspica in Azerbaijan. It is possible to find 100-200 individuals of them in any season of the year.

Management considerations Although the whole site is protected as a Nature Reserve which is owned by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, some poaching is a threat as well as disturbance from fishers.

Protection status National High International NoneIBA is covered by Nature Reserve.

Conservation response 1. As a part of monitoring project was studied in 1996-1997 years by Azerbaijan Ornithological Society2. As a part of winter and autumn migration monitoring project of British Petroleum was studied in 2002-20053. As a part of student studies project some studies were conducted in November 2004 - March 2005.

Related state of the world's birds case studies

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Shahdidi spit. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

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