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SD008
En Nahud
Location Sudan, Northern Kordofan
Central coordinates 28o 30.00' East  12o 30.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3
Area 2,500,000 ha
Altitude 600 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. Flocks of up to, and sometimes exceeding, 100 Falco naumanni overwinter; the species is particularly abundant in years when tree locusts Anacridium spp., which feed almost exclusively on Acacia senegal, are common. Circus macrourus also winters commonly in the area. Of particular interest is Mirafra cordofanica, a Sahel biome species which is restricted to grassy openings in bushy areas on ‘goz’ soil. It is one of the commonest birds in the area. One species characteristic of the Sahara–Sindian biome (A02) and three of the Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome (A04) have also been recorded (see Table 2).

Site description This site is situated around the town of En Nahud, south-west of El Obeid. It is an area of old fixed red sand-dunes (‘goz’ soil), vegetated principally with shrubs and scattered trees in which Acacia senegal is dominant. The limits of this habitat are clearly defined by an abrupt change in soil-type and an accompanying change in vegetation; Acacia senegal disappears and Dalbergia melanoxylon becomes common. Although the limits of the IBA remain undefined, it includes the area west and south of En Nahud to Ghubeish and El Odaiya, and east towards El Obeid.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni passage  -  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Least Concern 
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus winter  -  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Near Threatened 
Savile's Bustard Eupodotis savilei resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
African Collared-dove Streptopelia roseogrisea resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Golden Nightjar Caprimulgus eximius resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Piapiac Ptilostomus afer resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Kordofan Lark Mirafra cordofanica resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Rusty Lark Mirafra rufa resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Red-pate Cisticola Cisticola ruficeps resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Cricket Longtail Spiloptila clamans resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Chestnut-bellied Starling Lamprotornis pulcher resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Scrub-robin Cercotrichas podobe resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser superciliosus resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland   98%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
hunting -

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations Bustards suffer a heavy hunting pressure in the area and Ardeotis arabs is likely to be under severe pressure. Clearance of woodland habitats and overgrazing are so far restricted to relatively small areas around En Nahud itself and the other major settlements in the area.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: En Nahud. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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