Varvara Reservoir (185)
Azerbaijan, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Varvara su anbarı
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.7333, Longitude: 47.0500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 100
Area of KBA (km2): 25.44589
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The reservoir was created in 1956-1957, thereby flooding tugai forests in the Kura river basin. Reedbeds have grown up along the western and eastern shores and there is also some Tamarix on islands. The reservoir water is used for various purposes; there are fish-ponds, and hunting takes place in autumn and winter.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: The site supports a range of breeding waterbirds: herons, Plegadis falcinellus, Porphyrio porphyrio, terns. Egretta alba and Phalacrocorax carbo bred in dead trees standing in the reservoir until 1962. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (rare winter visitor). Up to 7,000-8,000 waterbirds (ducks and Fulica atra) winter, Larus ichthyaetus occurs rarely in the same season; Larus minutus is a rare, non-breeding summer visitor.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats are unknown, but intensive hunting is probably the reason why many waterbirds move to Mingechaur reservoir.