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YE005
Kawkaban - Shibam
Location Yemen, Al Mahwit,San'a'
Central coordinates 43o 54.00' East  15o 30.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3, B2, B3
Area 5,000 ha
Altitude 2,600 - 3,000m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife (Affiliate)



Ornithological information A representative assemblage of breeding species characteristic of the high-altitude mountains and plains of western Yemen, including virtually all Arabian-endemic and Afromontane species. See table for key species; other breeding species include Buteo rufinus, Aquila verreauxii, Hieraaetus fasciatus, Falco tinnunculus, F. pelegrinoides, Streptopelia lugens, Tachymarptis melba, Calandrella cinerea, Anthus cinnamomeus, A. similis, Saxicola torquata, Oenanthe bottae, Monticola rufocinereus, Scotocerca inquieta, Phylloscopus umbrovirens, Muscicapa gambagae, Nectarinia osea, Zosterops abyssinicus, Corvus rhipidurus and Emberiza tahapisi.

Site description A flat-topped, cliff-girt sandstone massif 35 km north-west of Sana'a, projecting eastwards from the rugged Red Sea escarpment (up to 3,000 m), and surrounded below by montane plains (2,600 m).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Philby's Partridge Alectoris philbyi resident  1993  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2, A3, B3  Least Concern 
Arabian Partridge Alectoris melanocephala resident  1993  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2, A3, B3  Least Concern 
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus resident  1993  2 breeding pairs  poor  B2  Least Concern 
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca winter  1993  uncommon [units unknown]  -  B2  Vulnerable 
Dusky Turtle-dove Streptopelia lugens resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Hume's Owl Strix butleri resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  B3  Least Concern 
Arabian Woodpecker Dendrocopos dorae resident  1993  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A2, A3, B2  Vulnerable 
Brown Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yemen Warbler Sylvia buryi resident  1993  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3, B2  Vulnerable 
Small Whitethroat Sylvia minula winter  1993  common [units unknown]  -  B3  Least Concern 
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii resident  1993  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yemen Thrush Turdus menachensis resident  1993  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3, B2  Vulnerable 
Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides resident  1993  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Little Rock-thrush Monticola rufocinereus resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yemen Accentor Prunella fagani resident  1993  frequent [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3, B2  Near Threatened 
Olive-rumped Serin Serinus rothschildi resident  1993  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yemen Serin Serinus menachensis resident  1993  common [units unknown]  -  A2, A3, B3  Least Concern 
Yemen Linnet Carduelis yemenensis resident  1993  common [units unknown]  -  A2, A3, B3  Least Concern 

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   major
Grassland   major
Shrubland   minor
Rocky areas   major

Land use

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

Other biodiversity Mammals: Meriones rex (endemic). Reptiles: Pristurus popovi (endemic), Agama yemenensis (endemic). Butterflies: endemics include Lasiommata felix and Pseudotergumia tewfiki. Plants: Acacia negrii tree (rare, endemic); the Afro-alpine zone harbours many endemics, including Cichorium bottae, Macowania ericifolia, Delosperma harazianum, Teucrium yemense and Crinum yemense.

Management considerations Grazing is heavy but probably controlled as far as possible. Abandonment of traditional land-management practices in future would be a major threat, but currently this seems unlikely. Despite these practices, the increasing irrigation of the plains from boreholes may lead to a lowering of the water-table in future. Tourist activity is centred on the villages and does not pose any threat; the site also attracts a small amount of eco-tourism.

Conservation response No formal conservation measures are known to have been taken. However the traditional land management is favourable to wildlife and probably preserves Acacia trees from cutting as far as is possible.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kawkaban - Shibam. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013

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