• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
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• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2017 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter	2009-2017	3,000-18,000 individuals	A4, B3a
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	breeding	2009	2,000 breeding pairs	A4, B3a
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis	LC	breeding	2009-2017	50-100 breeding pairs	B3a
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis	LC	non-breeding	2009-2017	20-300 individuals	B3a
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2009-2017	300-1,300 individuals	B1a, B3a

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2017) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2017. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	6,150	4,000	individuals	66	unfavourable
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis	170	250	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,200	400	individuals	34	not assessed

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	low
Biological resource use	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2016	Bul Syayeef	Protected Area	100
2016	Bul Syayeef	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Forest	Subtropical & tropical mangrove	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Abu Al Sayayif (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/abu-al-sayayif-iba-united-arab-emirates on 23/11/2024.