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close| Location | Iran, Islamic Republic of, Fars |
| Central coordinates | 52o 47.00' East 30o 34.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, A4iii, B1i |
| Area | 4,700 ha |
| Altitude | 2,300 m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See box for key species. A very important staging area for Phoenicopterus ruber, geese, ducks and Grus grus, and occasionally (if not frozen) also a very important wintering area. In spring and autumn the lake can hold as many as 120,000 migratory waterfowl (including P. ruber and G. grus). Other passage migrants include Pelecanus onocrotalus, Anser anser and Tadorna ferruginea.
Site description A freshwater lake of at least 500 ha lying at c.2,300 m on the north slope of the southern Zagros, c.105 km north-north-east of Shiraz. Situated in a region of rolling Artemisia steppe and wheat cultivation, the lake and marsh are generally frozen all winter and can dry out completely in summer. The dominant vegetation in the eastern part is Butomus umbellatus and Sparganium, and in the western part mainly grassy plants.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | winter | 1977-1992 | 7,500-8,000 individuals | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata | winter | 1977-1992 | 2,000-30,000 individuals | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Northern Pintail Anas acuta | winter | 1970-1977 | 15,000 individuals | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula | winter | 1970-1977 | 6,000 individuals | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | passage | 1977 | 12,000 individuals | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Common Crane Grus grus | winter | 1987-1992 | 2,928 individuals | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | winter | 1970-1992 | - | unknown | A4iii |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | major | |
| Grassland | major | |
| Wetlands (inland) | 11% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | major |
| rangeland/pastureland | - |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations There is no legal protection, though the lake has been proposed as a Ramsar Site. A proposal by the Ministry of Jihad to utilize the water for irrigation purposes has recently been blocked by the Department of the Environment because of the site’s ornithological importance, but this could resurface. In recent years, large-scale die-offs of waterfowl, possibly due to botulism, have been reported during the breeding and migration seasons, and the mortality can be as high as 10,000 birds.
References Scott (1976a).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kaftar lake. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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