ET028
Awash National Park


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important in 1996 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
Yellow-necked Spurfowl Pternistis leucoscepus LC resident 1996 present A3
Black-faced Sandgrouse Pterocles decoratus LC resident 1996 present A3
Sombre Nightjar Caprimulgus fraenatus LC resident 1996 present A3
Star-spotted Nightjar Caprimulgus stellatus LC resident 1996 present A3
Heuglin's Bustard Neotis heuglinii LC resident 1996 present A3
Buff-crested Bustard Lophotis gindiana LC resident 1996 present A3
White-bellied Go-away-bird Criniferoides leucogaster LC resident 1996 present A3
Eastern Chanting-goshawk Melierax poliopterus LC resident 1996 present A3
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus NT passage 1996 9 individuals A1
Hemprich's Hornbill Lophoceros hemprichii LC resident 1996 present A3
Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus flavirostris LC resident 1996 present A3
Von der Decken's Hornbill Tockus deckeni LC resident 1996 present A3
Black-billed Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus somaliensis LC resident 1996 present A3
Abyssinian Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus minor LC resident 1996 present A3
Somali Bee-eater Merops revoilii LC resident 1996 present A3
D'Arnaud's Barbet Trachyphonus darnaudii LC resident 1996 present A3
Red-and-yellow Barbet Trachyphonus erythrocephalus LC resident 1996 present A3
Black-throated Barbet Tricholaema melanocephala LC resident 1996 present A3
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni LC passage 1996 present A1
Red-bellied Parrot Poicephalus rufiventris LC resident 1996 present A3
Rosy-patched Bushshrike Rhodophoneus cruentus LC resident 1996 present A3
Somali Fiscal Lanius somalicus LC resident 1996 present A3
Mouse-coloured Penduline-tit Anthoscopus musculus LC resident 1996 present A3
Chestnut-headed Sparrow-lark Eremopterix signatus LC resident 1996 present A3
Red-winged Lark Mirafra hypermetra LC resident 1996 present A3
Gillett's Lark Calendulauda gilletti LC resident 1996 present A3
Yellow-vented Eremomela Eremomela flavicrissalis LC resident 1996 present A3
Grey Wren-warbler Calamonastes simplex LC resident 1996 present A3
Boran Cisticola Cisticola bodessa LC resident 1996 present A3
Ashy Cisticola Cisticola cinereolus LC resident 1996 present A3
Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus LC resident 1996 present A3
Rufous Chatterer Argya rubiginosa LC resident 1996 present A3
Scaly Chatterer Argya aylmeri LC resident 1996 present A3
White-rumped Babbler Turdoides leucopygia LC resident 1996 present A3
Bristle-crowned Starling Onychognathus salvadorii LC resident 1996 present A3
Somali Starling Onychognathus blythii LC resident 1996 present A3
Shelley's Starling Lamprotornis shelleyi LC resident 1996 present A3
Golden-breasted Starling Lamprotornis regius LC resident 1996 present A3
White-crowned Starling Lamprotornis albicapillus LC resident 1996 present A3
African Grey Flycatcher Bradornis microrhynchus LC resident 1996 present A3
Brown-tailed Chat Oenanthe scotocerca LC resident 1996 present A3
Sombre Rockchat Oenanthe dubia DD resident 1996 present A1, A2, A3
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes orientalis LC resident 1996 present A3
Shining Sunbird Cinnyris habessinicus LC resident 1996 present A3
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli LC resident 1996 present A3
Rüppell's Weaver Ploceus galbula LC resident 1996 present A3
Speke's Weaver Ploceus spekei LC resident 1996 present A3
Purple Grenadier Granatina ianthinogaster LC resident 1996 present A3
Steel-blue Whydah Vidua hypocherina LC resident 1996 present A3
Straw-tailed Whydah Vidua fischeri LC resident 1996 present A3
Yellow-throated Seedeater Crithagra flavigula EN resident 1996 present A1, A2, A3
White-bellied Canary Crithagra dorsostriata LC resident 1996 present A3
Somali Bunting Emberiza poliopleura LC resident 1996 present A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1996) may differ.


IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1996. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2013 not assessed very high medium
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes unset unknown

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Human intrusions and disturbance happening now majority/most of area/population (50-90%) very rapid to severe deterioration very high
Biological resource use happening now majority/most of area/population (50-90%) moderate to rapid deterioration high
Pollution happening now some of area/population (10-49%) moderate to rapid deterioration high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes 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
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive Some limited conservation initiatives are in place medium

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation % overlap with IBA
1969 Awash National Park 100

Habitats

Habitat1 Habitat detail % of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial 93
Grassland 5
Wetlands (inland) 1
1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Awash National Park (Ethiopia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/awash-national-park-iba-ethiopia on 25/11/2024.