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KZ052
Amangeldy
Location Kazakhstan, Akmola region
Central coordinates 69o 51.00' East  50o 34.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, A4i, A4iii
Area 5,536 ha
Altitude 300 - 340m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (Affiliate)



Ornithological information The IBA is a breeding area of the globally threatened (and biome-restricted for steppe) Sociable Lapwing and Black-winged Pratincole. Other biome-restricted species are Circus macrourus, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis and Melanocorypha leucoptera. The bays and saltmarshes of Sholak lake are an important area for the autumn and spring concentrations of migratory waterbirds, especially waders (for example, up to 3,000 Limosa limosa).

Site description An area of Artemisia-grass steppe between Amangeldy village and Sholak lake (Korgalzhyn district), about 100 km south-east of Astana (the capital of Kazakhstan). The area also includes saltmarshes and bays on the eastern shore of the lake.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Common Pochard Aythya ferina passage  2006  50,000 individuals  good  A4i  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus passage  2006  min 130 individuals  medium  A1, A4i  Vulnerable 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo passage  2006  min 3,500 individuals  medium  A4i  Least Concern 
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus breeding  2005  common [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Near Threatened 
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius breeding  2005-2008  8-12 breeding pairs  good  A1, A3, A4i  Critically Endangered 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa passage  2005  max 1,000 individuals  good  A1, A4i  Near Threatened 
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni breeding  2005-2006  50-93 breeding pairs  good  A1, A3  Near Threatened 
White-winged Lark Melanocorypha leucoptera breeding  2005  common individuals  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis breeding  2005  abundant individuals  -  A3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  2006  58,700 individuals  medium  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Kurgal'dzhinskiy State Nature Reserve 243,138 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Steppes & dry calcareous  90%
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish & salt water  10%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
rangeland/pastureland 90%
hunting 10%

Management considerations Threats – direct disturbance of nesting Sociable Lapwings and Black-winged Pratincoles plus higher nest predation by rooks, dogs etc. Direct destruction of eggs by cows etc. is also possible. Overgrazing and undergrazing (due to too tall grass in this case) might have a very strong influence.

Protection status Kurgalginskiy State Nature Reserve - 8 km away - is the closest protected area. Sholak lake is in the same lake system which is protected in the Reserve and depends on water from the Nura river.

Conservation response Ongoing project of the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan & RSPB “Conserving a flagship steppe species: the critically endangered Sociable Lapwing” supported by the Darwin Initiative (2005-2008). There is also the major project for general conservation of biodiversity of the region - the GEF/UNDP “Kazakhstan Wetlands Project “ (2004-2010).

References Krivizkiy et al. (1985). The birds of Kurgalzhinskiy Zapovednik. Almaty. (in Russian).

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

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