• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• 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
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa	LC	breeding	2005-2017	300-1,800 breeding pairs	B2a

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
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa	2,000	1,800	breeding pairs	90	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
tourism/recreation	100

The site is part of a private area belonging to members of the royal family.

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