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close| Location | Saudi Arabia, Makkah |
| Central coordinates | 40o 2.30' East 20o 15.60' North |
| IBA criteria | B1i, B2, B3 |
| Area | 400,000 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 5m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See box for key species. The site holds the densest population of Falco concolor in Saudi Arabia and probably in the world, and at least 50 pairs of Sterna anaethetus breed. The coastal topography concentrates migrants moving down the coast.
Site description A shallow bay of 15 × 35 km, almost closed by a long narrow island, and containing eight other islets. It is situated at a point where the Asir mountains run close to the Red Sea. Most of the islets are surrounded by mangrove Avicennia trees and clothed with dense Salicornia, and there are seagrass beds in the bay.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goliath Heron Ardea goliath | non-breeding | 1993 | rare [units unknown] | - | B1i, B2 | Least Concern |
| Sooty Falcon Falco concolor | breeding | 1993 | 40 breeding pairs | good | B2 | Near Threatened |
| Crab Plover Dromas ardeola | non-breeding | 1993 | unknown [units unknown] | - | B3 | Least Concern |
| Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris | non-breeding | 1993 | 1 individuals | good | B2 | Least Concern |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Sea | major | |
| Coastline | minor | |
| Desert | major | |
| Forest | minor |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| other | major |
| Notes: Traditional trapping of falcons and other birds (September-November). | |
Other biodiversity Mammals: Dugong dugon (V). Reptiles: the sea-turtles Eretmochelys imbricata (E) and Chelonia mydas (E) breed.
Management considerations Trapping of migrant birds (especially falcons) between mid-September and mid-November is a tradition, and average numbers of falcons caught per year are c.30 Falco biarmicus, c.15 F. cherrug, c.40 F. peregrinus and c.30 F. pelegrinoides. In one year, three adult F. concolor were known to have been trapped and a nest robbed, and a leaflet explaining the importance of the F. concolor population is to be distributed to falcon trappers. The site is proposed as a Special Nature Reserve in the NCWCD System Plan for Protected Areas.
References Gaucher et al. (in press).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Qishran 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
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