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TN031
Sebkhet en Noual
Location Tunisia, Sidi Bouzid
Central coordinates 9o 46.00' East  34o 24.00' North
IBA criteria A3, A4i
Area 3,000 ha
Altitude 50 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux"



Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. Other waterbirds that winter on the salt-flats, especially in years of good rainfall when the water is less saline, include Ardea cinerea, Egretta garzetta, Tadorna tadorna, T. ferruginea, Anas clypeata and Grus grus. The areas around the sebkha also hold Chlamydotis undulata, Charadrius morinellus (in winter), Cursorius cursor, Pterocles orientalis, Lanius excubitor, Scotocerca inquieta and Emberiza striolata.

Site description The site is a salt depression situated 70 km south-west of the town of Sfax and forms the southern border of Bouhedma National Park (site TN028). The surrounding area, included in the IBA, is semi-desert grassland in which the dominant plant species include Arthrophytum scoparium and Astragalus armatus. The sebkha itself supports a halophytic vegetation which includes Arthrocnemum and Salicornia species.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  -  800-2,000 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Pharaoh Eagle-owl Bubo ascalaphus resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus ruficollis breeding  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 
Temminck's Lark Eremophila bilopha resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Streaked Scrub-warbler Scotocerca inquieta resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans breeding  1999  unknown [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Tristram's Warbler Sylvia deserticola winter  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Fulvous Chatterer Turdoides fulva resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name Year formed
AAO/ Sfax Regional Branch 2000

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -

Other biodiversity The mammal Gazella dorcas (VU) has been recorded.

Management considerations Threats include overgrazing and hunting.

References Gaultier (1988a), Nabli (1989).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sebkhet en Noual. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

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