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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2014 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

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

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
See-see Partridge Ammoperdix griseogularis	LC	resident (2009–2013)	10 breeding pairs	A3
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	breeding (2009–2010)	3–6 breeding pairs	A1
Menetries's Warbler Curruca mystacea	LC	breeding (2009–2013)	8 breeding pairs	A3
Eastern Rock Nuthatch Sitta tephronota	LC	resident (2007–2013)	20 breeding pairs	A3
White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis	LC	resident (2009–2013)	5 breeding pairs	A3
Finsch's Wheatear Oenanthe finschii	LC	resident (2009–2013)	15 breeding pairs	A3
Pale Sparrow Carpospiza brachydactyla	LC	breeding (2008–2013)	6 breeding pairs	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happen­ing now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	rapid deteri­oration (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No manage­ment planning has taken place	Not assessed	very low

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	major (>10)
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	major (>10)

Land use	% of IBA
urban/industrial/transport	major (>10)
hunting	major (>10)
agriculture	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	major (>10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ahmed Awa (Iraq). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ahmed-awa-iba-iraq on 20/01/2025.