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YE022
Bab al-Mandab - Mawza
Location Yemen, Lahij,Ta'izz
Central coordinates 43o 35.00' East  12o 54.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, A4iv, B1ii, B1iv, B2
Area 5,000 ha
Altitude 0 - 100m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife (Affiliate)



Ornithological information This is probably the most important area in Yemen for the study of bird migration (see table for key species). The site is a major bottleneck for soaring, migratory birds, especially birds of prey, flying between Africa and their Eurasian breeding grounds, mainly Aquila nipalensis and Buteo buteo. This passage has been largely established by observations in Djibouti; there has been little opportunity to survey at Bab al-Mandab. From very limited observations it appears that the promontory and neighbouring areas, particularly the nearby vegetated wadis, are important stop-over points for passerine migrants and at least in spring there are good numbers of Cercotrichas galactotes, Sylvia nisoria, S. atricapilla, Phylloscopus trochilus, Oriolus oriolus and Cinnyricinclus leucogaster. Only one very brief count on a small part of Dhubab Flats has been carried out, and this showed the lagoon/saltflat system to be a good area for waders, notably Dromas ardeola, Limicola falcinellus and Tringa cinerea. A full survey of the whole complex would doubtless show the site to be one of the richest coastal wetlands in Yemen. Offshore there are major movements of seabirds (notably Oceanites oceanicus, skuas, gulls, Sterna bergii, and S. bengalensis) and of waders (notably Numenius phaeopus and Phalaropus lobatus).

Site description An area centred on the rocky promontory that juts into the Bab al-Mandab straits, towards Djibouti, at the south-west extremity of Yemen.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri winter  1993  common individuals  poor  B1ii, B2  Least Concern 
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus breeding  1993  unknown [units unknown]  -  B2  Near Threatened 
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus passage  1993  45 individuals  poor  A1, B2  Near Threatened 
Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Sparrow-lark Eremopterix nigriceps resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Arabian Babbler Turdoides squamiceps resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Blackstart Cercomela melanura resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
House Bunting Emberiza striolata resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes passage  1987  246,000 individuals  good  A4iv, B1iv   

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland   major
Shrubland   major
Coastline   minor
Sea   minor
Wetlands (inland)   minor

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
rangeland/pastureland minor
fisheries/aquaculture minor
military major

Other biodiversity Mammals: Gazella sp. (globally threatened). Reptiles: Chelonia mydas (E) occurs offshore, and the beach 5 km east of Al-Suqayya may be a nesting locality; Eretmochelys imbricata (E) is reported to nest on Perim.

Management considerations Due to military security, the area has apparently been little visited or used, and it continues to receive this unintentional protection.

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

References Welch and Welch (1988).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bab al-Mandab - Mawza. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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