Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
This huge area is a raised platform of old, dark sandstone rising 300-400 m above the undulating sandy plain which surrounds it. The ramparts are extremely broken and rocky, precipitous in places, but the plateau is flat. There is no permanent water and, apart from a flush of ephemeral plant growth after rains, vegetation is limited to drought-resistant shrubs (e.g.
Haloxylon) and grasses with a few stunted
Acacia trees.
See box for key species. Other breeding species include
Buteo rufinus,
Aquila chrysaetos (probably 2-3 pairs),
Cursorius cursor and
Rhodopechys githaginea. This is one of the last areas in Arabia where
Struthio camelus occurred and might be a possible reintroduction site.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Capra nubiana (I).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site is an NCWCD reserve (established primarily for
Capra nubiana) with a permanent staff of rangers; 240,000 ha have full protection as Special Nature Reserve and Biological Reserve. Being such a remote area and one which does not offer good grazing, the region is little-visited by nomadic pastoralists and no important threats have been identified.
Data-sheet compiled by M. C. Jennings.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: At-Tubayq (Saudi Arabia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/at-tubayq-iba-saudi-arabia on 22/12/2024.
