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YE013
Al-Murah
Location Yemen, Al Hudaydah
Central coordinates 43o 19.00' East  14o 53.00' North
IBA criteria A3, B1i, B2, B3
Area 12,500 ha
Altitude 150 - 250m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See table for key species. The area supports a rich Afrotropical breeding avifauna, including Bubulcus ibis (a colony at Khalifah), Ciconia abdimii, Aquila rapax (probably), Coturnix delegorguei, Numida meleagris, Burhinus capensis, Oxylophus jacobinus, Caprimulgus nubicus, Merops albicollis, Coracias abyssinica, Mirafra cantillans, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster and Amandava subflava. Passage migrants include Sylvia nisoria (650+, April).

Site description An agricultural plain east of Al-Qutay' on the eastern Tihamah (150-250 m), including the isolated outcrop of Jabal al-Maqasi (340 m), and stretching south from the broad, silt wadi-spread of Wadi Siham to the village of Al-Midman.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis resident  1993  100 breeding pairs  poor  B1i  Least Concern 
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Gabar Goshawk Melierax gabar resident  1993  uncommon [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs resident  1993  frequent [units unknown]  -  A3, B2  Near Threatened 
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo winter  1993  uncommon [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
African Collared-dove Streptopelia roseogrisea resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Scrub-robin Cercotrichas podobe resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Nile Valley Sunbird Anthreptes metallicus resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Arabian Golden Sparrow Passer euchlorus non-breeding  1993  abundant [units unknown]  -  B3  Least Concern 
Arabian Waxbill Estrilda rufibarba resident  1993  34 breeding pairs  poor  B3  Least Concern 

Habitats

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

Land use

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

Other biodiversity Mammals: Papio hamadryas (endemic).

Management considerations The suitability of such agricultural landscapes for Ardeotis arabs will almost certainly be reduced if agricultural practises are intensified, through increasing use of pesticides (especially insecticides), changes in field structure following mechanization, and changes in crops following replacement of traditional methods of irrigation or cultivation. Human activity in the area in 1985 appeared not to cause undue disturbance to Ardeotis arabs.

Conservation response No formal conservation measures are known to have been taken.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Al-Murah. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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