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IR060
Karun river marshes
Location Iran, Islamic Republic of, Khuzestan
Central coordinates 48o 54.00' East  31o 45.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2
Area 2,500 ha
Altitude 90 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See boxes for key species. A very important wintering area for geese, Tadorna ferruginea, surface-feeding ducks, Grus grus, several shorebirds and Pterocles alchata. Motacilla citreola is also fairly common in winter.

Site description Seasonally flooded arable land (mainly wheat), with scattered ponds and permanent marshy areas, on the east bank of the Karun river 55 km north-north-east of Ahwaz. Most of the area dries out completely in summer, but a few of the deeper pools and meandering watercourses remain wet and provide some breeding habitat for waterfowl.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons passage  1977  3,500 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons winter  1970-1977  1,730 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus winter  1977  590 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, B2  Vulnerable 
Greylag Goose Anser anser winter  1970-1977  10,050 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea passage  1977  1,510 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea winter  1970-1977  400 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca winter  1970-1977  15,300 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris breeding  1977  34 individuals  poor  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus winter  1977  12 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus winter  1970-1977  1,350 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa winter  1970-1977  2,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Near Threatened 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1970-1977  -  unknown  A4iii   

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   major
Wetlands (inland)   major

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture major
hunting major

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations There is no legal protection. The area is highly disturbed by farming activity and by hunting.

References Fotoohi and Scott (1975), Scott (1976a,c, 1980), Scott and Carp (1972), Summers et al. (1987).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Karun river marshes. 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