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UA069
Syvash Bay
Location Ukraine, Crimea,Kherson
Central coordinates 34o 35.00' East  46o 10.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, A4i, A4iii, A4iv, B1i, B1iv, B2, B3
Area 245,000 ha
Altitude 5 - 10m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ukranian Society for the Protection of Birds



Ornithological information An important site for waterbirds and birds of the steppe biome.

Site description An extensive system of lagoons with sandy islands and shores, surround-ed by steppe, in the coastal zone of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons passage  1992  200,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus passage  1998  1,000 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Greylag Goose Anser anser passage  1996  5,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Mute Swan Cygnus olor non-breeding  1996  1,000 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna passage  1992  12,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope passage  1992  62,000-65,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta passage  1992  33,000-35,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus breeding  1992  470-500 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1992  150-200 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1992  120-200 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus breeding  1992  400-500 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1992  400-500 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo breeding  1992  8,270 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great Bustard Otis tarda breeding  1989  2-3 breeding pairs  -  B2  Vulnerable 
Great Bustard Otis tarda passage  1989  1,000 individuals  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo breeding  1996  1,000 breeding pairs  medium  A3  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus passage  1992  20,000-30,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus non-breeding  1996  20,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1992  600-800 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus passage  1992  1,000-2,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1992  500-600 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B3  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  1992  1,000-2,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola passage  1992  3,500-5,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula passage  1992  2,000-4,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus passage  1992  500-1,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1992  250-500 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Great Snipe Gallinago media passage  1992  10-200 individuals  medium  A1  Near Threatened 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  1992  2,000-5,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus passage  1992  1,500-2,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus passage  1992  11,800 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus breeding  1992  400-500 breeding pairs  medium  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis passage  1992  1,000-3,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres passage  1992  500-1,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Sanderling Calidris alba passage  1992  700-2,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Little Stint Calidris minuta passage  1992  26,700 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina passage  1992  127,600 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus passage  1992  6,000-8,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Ruff Philomachus pugnax passage  1992  43,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola passage  1992  300-600 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1992  150-300 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans breeding  1992  3,800 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus breeding  1992  475-605 breeding pairs  good  A3, A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei breeding  1992  1,850-2,150 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus breeding  1992  2,450 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B3  Least Concern 
Little Gull Larus minutus passage  1992  3,000-10,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica breeding  1992  315 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia breeding  1989  56-159 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1992  4,700 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1992  2,900-3,080 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1992  360 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida passage  1992  250-1,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black Tern Chlidonias niger passage  1992  500-2,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1992  -  unknown  A4iii   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds breeding  1992  -  unknown  A4iii   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds non-breeding  1996  -  unknown  A4iii   
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes passage  1992  20,000-30,000 individuals  medium  A4iv, B1iv   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Azovo-Sivashskiy National Park 52,154 protected area overlaps with site 38,970  
Central Syvash Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 80,000 protected area contained by site 80,000  
Eastern Syvash Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 165,000 protected area contained by site 165,000  
Shagany-Alibei-Burnas Lakes System Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 19,000 protected area contained by site 19,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Humid grasslands; Steppes and dry calcareous grassland  -
Wetlands (inland) Coastal lagoons; Fens, transition mires and springs; Sand dunes and beaches; Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
fisheries/aquaculture -
hunting -
tourism/recreation -

Protection status National None International High165,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Eastern Syvash, 165,000 ha). 80,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Central Syvash, 80,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Syvash Bay. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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