Data Zone
Country/territory: Saudi Arabia
IBA Criteria met: A1, B2, B3 (1994)
For more information about IBA criteria please click here
Area: 1,220,000 ha
Protection status:
| Most recent IBA monitoring assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | Threat score (pressure) | Condition score (state) | Action score (response) |
| 2013 | low | not assessed | medium |
| For more information about IBA monitoring please click here | |||
Site description
This huge area is a raised platform of old, dark sandstone rising 300-400 m above the undulating sandy plain which surrounds it. The ramparts are extremely broken and rocky, precipitous in places, but the plateau is flat. There is no permanent water and, apart from a flush of ephemeral plant growth after rains, vegetation is limited to drought-resistant shrubs (e.g. Haloxylon) and grasses with a few stunted Acacia trees.
Key biodiversity
See box for key species. Other breeding species include Buteo rufinus, Aquila chrysaetos (probably 2-3 pairs), Cursorius cursor and Rhodopechys githaginea. This is one of the last areas in Arabia where Struthio camelus occurred and might be a possible reintroduction site.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Capra nubiana (I).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: At-Tubayq. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 11/11/2019.
