email a friend
printable version
MR005
El Ghallâouîya
Location Mauritania, Adrar
Central coordinates 10o 35.00' West  21o 35.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3
Area 0 ha
Altitude 330 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. Three species of the Sahel biome has also been recorded; see Table 2.

Site description El Ghallâouîya is situated 75 km north-east of Guelb el Richât in the Adrar region. A winding escarpment links it to the Guelb and, further south, to the Adrar plateau. It is a permanent water-source exploited by nomadic herders. Deep ravines intersect the cliffs and there are many ledges and crevices in the rock-face. The plains are dominated by ergs and isolated dunes, punctuated by wells and sebkhas. The vegetation of the area includes Hyoscyamus muticus, Tamarix sp., Acacia raddiana, Capparis decidua, Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Maerua crassifolia, Salvadora persica, Balanites aegyptiaca, Panicum turgidum and Stipagrostis pungens.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Nubian Bustard Neotis nuba resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Crowned Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
African Collared-dove Streptopelia roseogrisea resident  2001  -  -    Least Concern 
Pharaoh Eagle-owl Bubo ascalaphus resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Pale Crag-martin Hirundo obsoleta resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Streaked Scrub-warbler Scotocerca inquieta resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Cricket Longtail Spiloptila clamans resident  2001  -  -    Least Concern 
Fulvous Chatterer Turdoides fulva resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Sparrow Passer simplex resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Not Recognised 
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus resident  2001  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations No information, but lying a mere 75 km from Mauritania’s most important tourist area, human pressure on the area may increase in the future.

References Lamarche (1988).

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: El Ghallâouîya. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife