Kattasay and Daganasay Reservoirs Important Bird Area

The Kattasay and Daganasay Reservoirs Important Bird Area (Водохранилища Каттасай и Даганасай, 卡塔赛和达嘎纳赛水库重点鸟区) comprises two irrigation reservoirs and their surrounds in central Sughd Province in northwestern Tajikistan. Together, they have been identified as a 98 sqkm Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

Description
The IBA is situated on the northern slopes of the Turkestan Range. Daganasay lies some 16 km north-east of Kattasay at a similar altitude of about 1200 m above sea level. Both reservoirs are oligotrophic. The area has a semi-arid climate with warm summers and mild winters. Annual rainfall is about 400 mm, mainly in spring.

The IBA lies on the Central Asian Flyway and its characteristics of low disturbance, plenty of food and a mild climate attract birds. It is used by migrating waterfowl in autumn and spring, while various species of waterbirds, waders and birds of prey also overwinter there.

Daganasay Reservoir
Daganasay (39.90278°N, 69.14583°W) lies 9 km to the south of the town of Ghonchi. It has a surface area of 280 ha when full, a volume of 42 GL and a maximum depth of 18 m. Towards the end of the irrigation season its area is reduced to 35 - 40 ha and the depth to 3 m. Some 132 species of algae have been recorded.

Kattasay Reservoir
Kattasay (39.84167°N, 68.99306°W) lies in the Istravshanskaya depression. When full it has an area of 290 ha, a volume of 55 GL and a depth near the dam of 45 - 48 m, falling to a minimum of 18 m. The main source of its water is the small Kattasay River.

Birds
Birds for which the site is important include saker falcons, solitary snipe, European rollers, Hume's larks, sulphur-bellied warblers, wallcreepers, brown accentors, water pipits, fire-fronted serins, crimson-winged finches, red-mantled rosefinches and white-winged grosbeaks.