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The site was identified as important in 1994 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s)	Population estimate at site	IBA criteria met
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	winter	1973	1 individuals	B2
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	breeding	1997	50-249 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	LC	winter	1973-1979	23,040-42,280 individuals	A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter	1973-1979	5,440-10,830 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	1973-1979	3,514-6,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter	1973-1979	4,479-12,400 individuals	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	1973-1979	6,608-12,200 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	1973-1979	25,968-59,600 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter	1973-1979	53,285-121,455 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	winter	1985	1 individuals	B2
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	winter	1973-1975	25-1,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter	1973-1975	166-272 individuals	B1i
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath	LC	resident	1985	rare	B1i, B2
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter	1973-1979	81-243 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	winter	1973-1979	1,272-1,741 individuals	A4i, B1i
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter	1973-1979	6-48 individuals	A1, B2
African Darter Anhinga rufa	LC	resident	1985	unknown	B1i, B2
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	winter	1973-1975	26-277 individuals	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	resident	1985	abundant	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter	1973-1979	680-6,383 individuals	A4i, B1i
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	winter	1979	6 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage	1979	1 individuals	A1, A4i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	1973-1975	142-355 individuals	B1i
Dunlin Calidris alpina	LC	winter	1973-1975	192-2,125 individuals	B1i
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus	LC	winter	1973-1979	230-878 individuals	A4i, B1i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	winter	1973-1975	7-104 individuals	B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	winter	1973-1979	31-356 individuals	B1i
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter	1979	8 individuals	B2
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	winter	1985	3 individuals	B2
Basra Reed-warbler Acrocephalus griseldis	EN	breeding	1985	common	A1, A2, B2
Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris	LC	resident	1985	common	A2, B3
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus	LC	breeding	1985	present	B3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1973-1979	128,000-284,000 individuals	A4iii

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (1994).

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - large dams	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Not assessed	negligible

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	211,544	protected area overlaps with site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)		-
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine		-
Artificial/Terrestrial		-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture	-
hunting	-
rangeland/pastureland	-
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Haur Al Hammar. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/haur-al-hammar-iba-iraq on 21/09/2023.