This EBA extends along the coast of south-east Somalia (from near Mogadishu at about 1°30"N to 7°N), and consists of a narrow strip of large, fixed, vegetated dunes, which are mostly 10–15 km wide and vary between 20 and 60 m in height (WWF/IUCN 1994). The main vegetation type is fixed-dune grassland dominated by perennial grasses and sedges (Barker et al. 1989).

The extent of the EBA is defined by the range of Spizocorys obbiensis (see Ash 1981), as the other restricted-range species, Mirafra ashi, is only known from a single locality on the coastal plain to the north of Uarsciek, although it is speculated that it may occur along the coast to the north-east, which is ornithologically very poorly known (Collar and Stuart 1985). Both of these larks appear to be restricted to coastal fixed-dune grassland.

Mirafra ashi is threatened because of its highly restricted range, where the chronic and continuing political crisis in Somalia may result in an as-yet-undocumented loss of habitat. WWF/IUCN (1994) identify the Hobyo (or Obbia) area as a Centre of Plant Diversity, based upon the high level of plant species endemism, and list overgrazing and fuelwood cutting as the main threats to this part of the EBA. Grazing by ungulates and campsite occupation by nomads affect the vegetation of the coastal grassland (Barker et al. 1989).

Some of this EBA is inside the Lag Badana Bush-bush National Park, but this is apparently not functional (I. Friis pers. comm. in WWF/IUCN 1994).

Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areas of the World. Priorities for biodiversity conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series 7. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Endemic Bird Area factsheet: Central Somali coast. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/eba/factsheet/95 on 27/12/2024.