RegionSamtskhe-Javakheti
Area3,337 ha
Altitude1800–2200 m
CategoryC2, B2
Overlapping IBAGEO17
Central coordinates41.214283° N, 43.247133° E
Protection status: 89.82% of territory is covered by Kartsakhi Managed Reserve. 87.04% of territory is covered by IBA (GEO17). 100% of IBA (GEO17) is represented by SPA 21.
Species of concern
White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) (Javakhishvili et al. 2014). 50-100 White Pelicans, 20-50 Dalmatian Pelicans breed on the lake. Both of them are included on the red list of Georgia. White Pelican as Vulnerable (VU) and Dalmatian Pelican – Endangered (EN). Dalmatian Pelican is also classified on the IUCN red list as Vulnerable (VU).
Description of the site
Kartsakhi SPA is located in the Southern part of Georgia at an altitude of 1800 meters. There are 10 small rocky islands on Lake Kartsakhi. 1/3 of the lake lies in Turkey. Dominant plant species of the lake are Sedge (Carex juncella, C. tristis, C. lasiocarpa, and C. vesicaria), Horsetail (Equisetum flaviatile, E. paluste), Common Rush (Juncus effuses) and Meadow Fescue (Festuca varia). Patch of birch (Betula litwinowii) forest can be found on the South-eastern bank of the lake (Kvachakidze 2010). See the bird list below for Avifauna.
Monitoring
Pelicans
Method: Direct count
Period: May and August
Needed Equipment: 20X60 magnification spotting scope; 8X or 10X magnification binoculars; GPS
Description: Counts of both pelican species should take place in May and August. For good visibility, the lake is scanned from elevated place with binoculars and scope. Young and adult birds should be counted separately for both species. Counts on Lake Kartsakhi should be coordinated with Madatapa, Bogdasheni and Khanchali Lakes. Counting point see Map 1.
Coordinates: 41.239819°/43.239456°
Birds recorded in the area 232
| Scientific name | English name | Status in Georgia | IUCN | Red List of Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavia stellata | Red-throated Diver (or Loon) | M | LC | |
| Gavia arctica | Black-throated (Arctic) Diver (or Loon) | M | LC | |
| Podiceps cristatus | Great Crested Grebe | BB | LC | |
| Podiceps grisegena | Red-necked Grebe | BB | LC | VU |
| Podiceps nigricollis | Black-necked Grebe | BB | LC | |
| Tachybaptus ruficollis | Little Grebe | BB | LC | |
| Pelecanus onocrotalus | Great White Pelican | BB | LC | VU |
| Pelecanus crispus | Dalmatian Pelican | BB | VU | EN |
| Phalacrocorax carbo | Great Cormorant | SV | LC | |
| Ardea cinerea | Grey Heron | BB | LC | |
| Ardea purpurea | Purple Heron | M | LC | |
| Ardea alba | Great White Egret | SV | LC | |
| Egretta garzetta | Little Egret | SV | LC | |
| Bubulcus ibis | Cattle Egret | M | LC | |
| Ardeola ralloides | Squacco Heron | M | LC | |
| Nycticorax nycticorax | Black-crowned Night-Heron | SV | LC | |
| Ixobrychus minutus | Little Bittern | BB | LC | |
| Botaurus stellaris | Great Bittern | BB | LC | |
| Platalea leucorodia | Eurasian Spoonbill | M | LC | |
| Plegadis falcinellus | Glossy Ibis | M | LC | |
| Ciconia ciconia | White Stork | BB | LC | VU |
| Ciconia nigra | Black Stork | M | LC | VU |
| Phoenicopterus ruber | Greater Flamingo | Cas | LC | |
| Anser anser | Gray Lag Goose | BB | LC | |
| Anser fabalis | Bean Goose | M | LC | |
| Anser erythropus | Lesser White-fronted Goose | M | VU | EN |
| Anser albifrons | Greater White-fronted Goose | M | LC | |
| Tadorna tadorna | Common Shelduck | M | LC | |
| Tadorna ferruginea | Ruddy Shelduck | BB | LC | VU |
| Anas platyrhynchos | Mallard | BB | LC | |
| Mareca strepera | Gadwall | BB | LC | |
| Mareca penelope | Eurasian Wigeon | SV | LC | |
| Anas crecca | Common Teal | BB | LC | |
| Spatula querquedula | Garganey | M | LC | |
| Anas acuta | Northern Pintail | M | LC | |
| Spatula clypeata | Northern Shoveler | BB | LC | |
| Netta rufina | Red-crested Pochard | BB | LC | |
| Aythya fuligula | Tufted Duck | BB | LC | |
| Aythya ferina | Common Pochard | BB | VU | |
| Aythya nyroca | Ferruginous Pochard | M | NT | |
| Melanitta fusca | White-winged (or Velvet) Scoter | BB | VU | EN |
| Mergus serrator | Red-breasted Merganser | M | LC | |
| Oxyura leucocephala | White-Headed Duck | Cas | EN | EN |
| Pandion haliaetus | Osprey | M | LC | ? |
| Milvus migrans | Black Kite | M | LC | |
| Elanus caeruleus | Black-winged Kite | Cas | LC | |
| Circaetus gallicus | Short-toed Snake-Eagle | M | LC | ? |
| Accipiter brevipes | Levent Sparrowhawk | M | LC | VU |
| Accipiter nisus | Eurasian Sparrowhawk | M | LC | |
| Accipiter gentilis | Northern Goshawk | M | LC | |
| Buteo buteo | Common Buzzard | BB | LC | |
| Buteo lagopus | Rough-legged Buzzard | M | LC | |
| Buteo rufinus | Long-legged Buzzard | BB | LC | VU |
| Pernis apivorus | European Honey-Buzzard | M | LC | |
| Hieraaetus pennatus | Booted Eagle | M | LC | |
| Aquila heliaca | Imperial Eagle | M | VU | VU |
| Clanga clanga | Greater Spotted Eagle | M | VU | VU |
| Clanga pomarina | Lesser Spotted Eagle | M | LC | |
| Aquila nipalensis | Steppe Eagle | M | EN | |
| Aquila chrysaetos | Golden Eagle | M | LC | VU |
| Neophron percnopterus | Egyptian Vulture | M | EN | VU |
| Circus aeroginosus | Western Marsh Harrier | BB | LC | |
| Circus cyaneus | Hen (or Northern) Harrier | M | LC | |
| Circus macrourus | Pallid Harrier | M | NT | |
| Circus pygargus | Montagu's Harrier | BB | LC | |
| Falco cherrug | Saker Falcon | M | EN | CR |
| Falco biarmicus | Lanner Falcon | M | LC | VU |
| Falco peregrinus | Peregrine Falcon | BB | LC | |
| Falco subbuteo | Eurasian Hobby | M | LC | |
| Falco columbarius | Merlin | M | LC | |
| Falco vespertinus | Red-footed Falcon | M | NT | EN |
| Falco naumanni | Lesser Kestrel | M | LC | CR? |
| Falco tinnunculus | Common Kestrel | BB | LC | |
| Grus grus | Common Crane | BB | LC | EN |
| Anthropoides virgo | Demoiselle Crane | M | ||
| Rallus aquaticus | Water Rail | BB | LC | |
| Porzana porzana | Spotted Crake | BB | LC | |
| Zapornia parva | Little Crake | BB | LC | |
| Zapornia pusilla | Baillon's Crake | M | LC | |
| Crex crex | Corn crake | BB | LC | ? |
| Gallinula chloropus | Common Moorhen | BB | LC | |
| Fulica atra | Common Coot | BB | LC | |
| Himantopus himantopus | Black-winged Stilt | BB | LC | |
| Recurvirostra avosetta | Pied Avocet | M | LC | |
| Charadrius hiaticula | Common Ringed Plover | M | LC | |
| Charadrius dubius | Little Ringed Plover | BB | LC | |
| Charadrius asiaticus | Caspian Plover | Cas | LC | |
| Pluvialis apricaria | Eurasian Golden-Plover | M | LC | |
| Pluvialis squatarola | Grey Plover | M | LC | |
| Arenaria interpres | Ruddy Turnstone | M | LC | |
| Vanellus vanellus | Northern Lapwing | BB | NT | |
| Vanellus gregarius | Sociable Lapwing | M | CR | |
| Calidris falcinellus | Broad-billed Sandpiper | M | LC | |
| Calidris ferruginea | Curlew Sandpiper | M | NT | |
| Calidris alpina | Dunlin | M | LC | |
| Calidris temminckii | Temminck's Stint | M | LC | |
| Calidris minuta | Little Stint | M | LC | |
| Calidris alba | Sanderling | M | LC | |
| Phalaropus lobatus | Red-necked Phalarope | M | LC | |
| Xenus cinereus | Terek Sandpiper | M | LC | |
| Tringa totanus | Common Redshank | BB | LC | |
| Tringa erythropus | Spotted Redshank | M | LC | |
| Tringa nebularia | Common Greenshank | M | LC | |
| Tringa stagnatilis | Marsh Sandpiper | BB | LC | |
| Tringa glareola | Wood Sandpiper | M | LC | |
| Tringa ochropus | Green Sandpiper | BB | LC | |
| Actitis hypoleucos | Common Sandpiper | BB | LC | |
| Calidris pugnax | Ruff | M | LC | |
| Numenius arquata | Eurasian Curlew | M | NT | |
| Numenius phaeopus | Whimbrel | M | LC | |
| Limosa limosa | Black-tailed Goldwit | M | NT | |
| Limosa lapponica | Bar-tailed Godwit | M | NT | |
| Gallinago media | Great Snipe | M | NT | ? |
| Gallinago gallinago | Common Snipe | BB | LC | |
| Lymnocryptes minimus | Jack Snipe | M | LC | |
| Glareola nordmanni | Black-winged Pratincole | M | NT | ? |
| Glareola pratincola | Collared Pratincole | M | LC | |
| Larus ridibundus | Common Black-headed Gull | SVM | LC | |
| Hydrocoloeus minutus | Little Gull | M | LC | |
| Larus armenicus | Armenian Gull | BB | NT | |
| Larus fuscus | Lesser Black-backed Gull | M | LC | |
| Larus canus | Mew Gull | M | LC | |
| Gelochelidon nilotica | Gull-billed Tern | M | LC | |
| Thalasseus sandvicensis | Sandwich Tern | M | LC | |
| Sterna hirundo | Common Tern | BB | LC | |
| Sternula albifrons | Little Tern | BB | LC | |
| Hydroprogne caspia | Caspian Tern | M | LC | |
| Chlidonias leucopterus | White-winged Tern | M | LC | |
| Chlidonias niger | Black Tern | M | LC | |
| Chlidonias hybrida | Whiskered Tern | M | LC | |
| Columba livia | Rock Dove | BB | LC | |
| Columba palumbus | Common Wood-Pigeon | M | LC | |
| Streptopelia turtur | Eurasian Turtle-Dove | M | VU | |
| Cuculus canorus | Common Cuckoo | BB | LC | |
| Bubo bubo | Eurasian Eagle Owl | BB | LC | |
| Asio otus | Northern Long-eared Owl | BB | LC | |
| Asio flammeus | Short-eared Owl | BB | LC | |
| Otus scops | Eurasian Scops-Owl | M | LC | |
| Athene noctua | Little Owl | BB | LC | |
| Caprimulgus europaeus | European Nightjar | M | LC | |
| Apus apus | Common Swift | BB | LC | |
| Tachymarptis melba | Alpine Swift | BB | LC | |
| Merops superciliosus | Blue-cheeked Bee-eater | Cas | LC | |
| Merops apiaster | European Bee-eater | SVM | LC | |
| Coracias garrulus | European Roller | M | LC | |
| Alcedo atthis | Common Kingsfisher | M | LC | |
| Upupa epops | Common Hoopoe | BB | LC | |
| Jynx torquilla | Eurasian Wryneck | BB | LC | |
| Eremophila alpestris | Horned (or Shore) Lark | BB | LC | |
| Calandrella rufescens | Lesser Short-Toed Lark | M | LC | |
| Calandrella brachydactyla | Greater Short-Toed Lark | M | LC | |
| Melanocorypha calandra | Calandra Lark | BB | LC | |
| Lullula arborea | Wood Lark | BB | LC | |
| Alauda arvensis | Eurasian Skylark | BB | LC | |
| Galerida cristata | Crested Lark | M | LC | |
| Hirundo rustica | Barn Swallow | BB | LC | |
| Hirundo rupestris | Eurasian Crag-martin | BB | LC | |
| Riparia riparia | Sand Martin | SV | LC | |
| Delichon urbicum | Northern Hause-Martin | BB | LC | |
| Anthus trivialis | Tree Pipit | BB | LC | |
| Anthus pratensis | Meadow Pipit | BB | NT | |
| Anthus cervinus | Red-Throated Pipit | M | LC | |
| Anthus spinoletta | Water Pipit | BB | LC | |
| Anthus campestris | Tawny Pipit | M | LC | |
| Motacilla alba | White Wagtail | BB | LC | |
| Motacilla cinerea | Grey Wagtail | BB | LC | |
| Motacilla flava | Yellow Wagtail | BB | LC | |
| Motacilla citreola | Citrine Wagtail | BB | LC | |
| Lanius minor | Lesser Grey Shrike | M | LC | |
| Lanius collurio | Red-backed Shrike | M | LC | |
| Prunella modularis | Hedge Accentor (Dunnock) | BB | LC | |
| Prunella ocularis | Radde's Accentor | ND | LC | VU |
| Prunella collaris | Alpine Accentor | BB | LC | |
| Locustella naevia | Grasshopper Warbler | M | LC | |
| Locustella fluviatilis | Eurasian River Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Locustella luscinioides | Savi's Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Acrocephalus scirpaceus | Eurasian Reed-Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Acrocephalus palustris | Marsh Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Acrocephalus arundinaceus | Great Reed-Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Acrocephalus melanopogon | Moustashed Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | Sedge Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Cettia cetti | Cetti's Warbler | BB | LC | |
| Sylvia communis | Common Whitethroat | BB | LC | |
| Sylvia curruca | Lesser Whitethroat | BB | LC | |
| Sylvia nisoria | Barred Warbler | M | LC | |
| Sylvia borin | Garden Warbler | M | LC | |
| Sylvia atricapilla | Blackcap | M | LC | |
| Muscicapa striata | Spotted Flycatcher | BB | LC | |
| Ficedula albicollis | Collared Flycatcher | M | LC | |
| Phylloscopus collybita | Common Chiffchaff | M | LC | |
| Ficedula semitorquata | Semi-Collared Flycatcher | M | LC | |
| Phylloscopus sindianus | Mountain Chiffchaff | BB | LC | |
| Ficedula parva | Red-breasted Flycatcher | M | LC | |
| Saxicola torquatus | Common Stonechat | BB | LC | |
| Saxicola rubetra | Whinchat | BB | LC | |
| Monticola saxatilis | Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush | BB | LC | |
| Oenanthe oenanthe | Northern Wheatear | BB | LC | |
| Phoenicurus ochruros | Black Redstart | BB | LC | |
| Phoenicurus phoenicurus | Common Redstart | BB | LC | |
| Luscinia svecica | Bluethroad | BBM | LC | |
| Turdus merula | Eurasian Blackbird | BB | LC | |
| Turdus torquatus | Ring Ouzel | BB | LC | |
| Turdus viscivorus | Mistle Thrush | BBM | LC | |
| Panurus biarmicus | Bearded Reedling | BB | LC | VU |
| Parus major | Great Tit | BB | LC | |
| Parus caeruleus | Blue Tit | BB | LC | |
| Troglodytes troglodytes | Winter Wren | BB | LC | |
| Miliaria calandra | Corn Bunting | BB | LC | |
| Emberiza cia | Rock Bunting | BB | LC | |
| Emberiza melanocephala | Black-headed Bunting | M | LC | |
| Emberiza hortulana | Ortolan Bunting | M | LC | |
| Emberiza schoeniclus | Reed Bunting | M | LC | |
| Fringilla coelebs | Eurasian Chaffinch | BB | LC | |
| Carduelis carduelis | European Goldfinch | BB | LC | |
| Carduelis spinus | Eurasian Siskin | M | LC | |
| Carduelis chloris | European Greenfinch | BB | LC | |
| Carduelis flavirostris | Twite | BB | LC | |
| Carduelis cannabina | Eurasian Linnet | BB | LC | |
| Serinus pusillus | Fire-fronted Serin (Red-fronted Serin) | M | LC | |
| Carpodacus erythrinus | Common Rosefinch | BB | LC | |
| Passer montanus | Tree Sparrow | BB | LC | |
| Passer domesticus | Hause Sparrow | BB | LC | |
| Montifringilla nivalis | White-winged Snowfinch | BB | LC | |
| Pica pica | Black-billed Magpie | BB | LC | |
| Sturnus vulgaris | Common Starling | BB | LC | |
| Sturnus roseus | Rose-coloured Starling | M | LC | |
| Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | Red-billed Chough | SV | LC | |
| Pyrrhocorax graculus | Yellow-billed Chough | SV | LC | |
| Corvus corax | Common Raven | YR-R | LC | |
| Corvus frugilegus | Rook | BB | LC | |
| Corvus corone | Hooded Crow | YR-R | LC | |
| Corvus monedula | Eurasian Jackdaw | YR-R | LC |
Photos and maps
Abbreviations
Seasonal status at a site
- YR-R
- Year-round resident; breeder, present throughout the year
- YR-V
- Year-round visitor; non-breeder, present throughout the year
- BB
- Breeding bird; breeder, absent during the non-breeding period
- SV
- Summer visitor; non-breeder, present in spring and summer
- WV
- Winter visitor; non-breeder, present in late autumn, winter and early spring
- M
- Migrant; bird of passage, present mainly in autumn and spring
- Cas
- Casual (vagrant) species
- ND
- No data
IUCN Red List
- CR
- Critically Endangered
- EN
- Endangered
- VU
- Vulnerable
- NT
- Near Threatened
- LC
- Least Concern
Other
- SPA
- Special Protection Area for birds
- IBA
- Important Bird and Biodiversity Area
- RLG
- Red List of Georgia
- Annex 1
- Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), Annex I