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JO016
Rum - Qa Hizma
Location Jordan, Aqaba,Ma'an
Central coordinates 35o 31.54' East  29o 34.14' North
IBA criteria A3, B2, B3
Area 200,000 ha
Altitude 800 - 1,754m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature



Ornithological information See box for key species. An unusually varied assemblage of desert and mountain birds. As well as species listed below, possible or known breeders include Circaetus gallicus, Buteo rufinus, Aquila chrysaetos (outside the Reserve), Aquila verreauxii, Hieraaetus fasciatus, Falco pelegrinoides, Alectoris chukar, Bubo ascalaphus, Pycnonotus xanthopygos, Oenanthe lugens, O. leucopyga, Nectarinia osea, Corvus rhipidurus and Emberiza striolata. Quite large numbers of migrating Buteo buteo have been seen irregularly (max. 100, April). Two key species, now apparently extinct, are the globally threatened Chlamydotis undulata (formerly a rare winter visitor) and the regionally threatened Gypaetus barbatus (formerly a rare resident).

Site description An isolated tract of huge, precipitous, sandstone and granite mountains, ranging up to 1,754 m (Jabal Rum, the highest point in Jordan), separated from each other by flat, sandy 'corridor'-wadis (at 800 m), and surrounded by a desert of extensive siltflats and mobile dunes. The predominant desert vegetation is a scanty shrub-steppe of Haloxylon, Anabasis, Retama, Artemisia and Acacia tortilis bushes. Amygdalus arabicus bushes are common in sandy wadis and in gorges leading into the mountains. Vegetation on the high and inaccessible peaks of the mountains is poorer than in wadis, including scattered Acacia tortilis and Juniperus trees, which also occur along seepage lines in Wadi Rum at the base of Jabal Rum, together with patchy, remnant vegetation of Pistacia, Ficus, Olea and Phoenix palms. The main land-uses are nomadic pastoralism (sheep, goats and camels), a Ministry of Agriculture irrigation project on the siltflats (centred on Disi and Abu Suwana) and 'wilderness tourism'.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi resident  1999  20-35 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor breeding  1999  3 breeding pairs  medium  A3, B2  Near Threatened 
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus resident  1965  1 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus non-breeding  1993  frequent [units unknown]  -  B2  Endangered 
Pharaoh Eagle-owl Bubo ascalaphus resident  1999  1 breeding pairs  poor  A3  Least Concern 
Hume's Owl Strix butleri resident  1999  5 breeding pairs  medium  A3, B3  Least Concern 
Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis resident  1999  25-55 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Pale Crag-martin Hirundo obsoleta resident  1999  85-175 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  1999  2 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura resident  1999  100-200 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti resident  1999  470-800 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Streaked Scrub-warbler Scotocerca inquieta resident  1999  190-320 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Arabian Babbler Turdoides squamiceps resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii resident  1999  10-20 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
White-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga resident  1999  250-440 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha resident  1999  15-25 breeding pairs  good  A3, B3  Least Concern 
Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens resident  1999  120-210 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta resident  1999-2001  -  -  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti resident  1999  5-15 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Blackstart Cercomela melanura resident  1999  1-5 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus resident  1999  200-340 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 
Pale Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus resident  1999  90-170 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
House Bunting Emberiza striolata resident  1999  35-65 breeding pairs  good  A3  Least Concern 

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Desert   97%
Shrubland   2%
Rocky areas   minor
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   1%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
tourism/recreation major
Notes: Tourism
rangeland/pastureland major
agriculture 1%

Other biodiversity Mammals: Felis margarita (rare), Capra nubiana (I) and Gazella subgutturosa (rare).

Management considerations Establishment of Wadi Rum Wildlife Reserve started in 1989 and is continuing, although it has not yet been gazetted; re-introduction of Oryx leucoryx is planned. Grazing pressure on the desert steppe vegetation is very heavy and pivot-irrigated agriculture using fossil groundwater is expanding on the siltflats (wheat, alfalfa, vegetables). Although the difficult terrain has tended to protect against over-hunting of larger animals, the increasing and unregulated off-road vehicle traffic due to tourism is degrading and disturbing sensitive fauna and flora locally, e.g. on sand-dunes.

References Mountfort (1965).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Rum - Qa Hizma. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013

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