Uvsiin Khar Lake (28321)
Mongolia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Uvsiin Khar Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 49.0833, Longitude: 91.9167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1574 to 1574
Area of KBA (km2): 133.10601
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Uvsiin Khar Us Lake is a beautiful freshwater lake with abundant reed and tall grass habitat along its shoreline. The tall grasses provide good shelter for breeding birds. The lake is replenished by water from the Namiraa River, which originates from snow-capped Kharkhiraa Mountain. The lake is located close to main roads between Ugii and Umnogobi soums.
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: Thousands of birds over-summer at the lake or pass through on migration. Globally Threatened and near threatened species occurring include White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala (EN), Falcated Duck Anas falcata (NT), Swan Goose Anser cygnoides (EN), Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus (VU) and Pallas’s Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus (VU). Nationally threatened species include Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus and Mongolian Ground Jay Podoces hendersoni. Congregatory waterbirds that probably occur in numbers exceeding 1% of their flyway populations comprise Northern Pintail Anas acuta, Eurasian Wigeon A. penelope, Gadwall Anas strepera and Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus. Non-bird biodiversity: The site is not known to have special significance for other fauna and flora.