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SD002
Mukawwar island and Dunganab bay
Location Sudan, Red Sea
Central coordinates 37o 17.00' East  20o 50.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, A4i
Area 12,000 ha
Altitude 0 - 10m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. In addition, the islands are used as a breeding site by Sterna bengalensis, S. repressa, S. anaethetus and Larus hemprichii. Some 800 pairs of Sterna bengalensis breed on Mukawwar Island and 450 pairs on each of the two Taila islets.

Site description Mukawwar, Mayetib and the Taila islets form a small archipelago lying offshore of the fishing town of Mohammed Qol, on the Red Sea coast north, of Port Sudan. A little to the north lies Dunganab bay, a body of shallow water partially enclosed by a long, narrow spit. There is a small area of mangrove within the bay which is backed by sparsely vegetated coastal dunes. The IBA includes a narrow coastal strip and the mangroves of the bay as well as the archipelago and the shallow coastal waters in between.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor breeding  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Near Threatened 
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus breeding  -  100 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i  Near Threatened 
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis breeding  -  1,700 breeding pairs  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallus resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Fulvous Chatterer Turdoides fulva resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
other -
Notes: Collection of eggs of seabirds for food by local fishermen.

Other biodiversity The islands are important for breeding turtles. Equus africanus (CR) and Dugong dugon (VU) have been recorded from the area.

Management considerations The area has been proposed as a protected area. There is some collection of eggs for food by local fishermen.

References Moore and Balzarotti (1983).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mukawwar island and Dunganab bay. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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