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close| Location | Armenia, Ararat |
| Central coordinates | 44o 45.94' East 39o 45.09' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, B1i, B2 |
| Area | 4,639 ha |
| Altitude | 781 - 794m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2008 |
Ornithological information The reedbeds cover edges of ponds, or grow in islet-shaped patches taking up approximately 30-50% of the water area, thus providing suitable cover and breeding places for grebes, cormorants, egrets/herons, rails, ducks and other birds.
Site description Armash area is the largest fishery in the Araks valley of Armenia, with 1,514 ha covered by a total of 29 fish-ponds, each between 11 ha and 95 ha in size. The Araks valley is mainly semi-desert with extremely salty soils. The vegetation is basically halophytic, with mostly goosefoot Chenopodium, pepper-grass Lepidium, saltwort Salsola, camel's thorn Alhagi and bean caper Zygophyllum. Marshes, wetlands, channel shores and ponds are densely vegetated with reeds and forbs, mixed with Typha, Carex and sparse tamarisk.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris | breeding | - | 8-10 breeding pairs | - | A1, B2 | Vulnerable |
| Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca | breeding | - | 25-30 breeding pairs | - | A1 | Near Threatened |
| Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca | non-breeding | 1995 | 1-700 individuals | - | A1, A4i, B1i | Near Threatened |
| White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala | breeding | - | 4-6 breeding pairs | - | A1 | Endangered |
| Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus | breeding | - | 150-200 breeding pairs | - | A1, A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni | breeding | - | 8-10 breeding pairs | - | A1 | Near Threatened |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | Semidesert | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing brackish and salt water; Water fringe vegetation | minor |
| Artificial landscapes (aquatic) | major | |
| Shrubland | Scrub | minor |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | major |
| hunting | major |
| tourism/recreation | minor |
Management considerations Many waterbirds, including Phalacrocorax pygmeus and Pelecanus onocrotalus are shot (legally or illegally) at Armash and other ponds because of the perceived conflict with fish-farming interests.
Protection status National None International None
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Armash fish-farm. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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