Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
Chahbahar Bay, on the coast of south-east Iranian Baluchistan, is an almost circular bay c.22 km across and 18 km from north to south, with an entrance 14 km wide between rocky headlands. The shore is a sand beach backed by a broad belt of low dunes. There is a large creek with extensive intertidal mudflats near the small fishing village of Konarak on the west side of the bay (Khor Konarak, 25°20'N 60°20'E). The much larger harbour town of Chahbahar is situated in the lee of the rocky headland at the east side. The sand beaches and tidal mudflats lack vegetation other than algae. The coastal dunes support typical vegetation, while the inland plain supports an open woodland of
Acacia,
Prosopis,
Ziziphus and
Tamarix, with large areas of bare sandflats. Land ownership is public.
See box for key species. The site has little importance for breeding waterbirds, although
Burhinus recurvirostris is resident. A small flock of
Pelecanus crispus winters, along with reasonable numbers of shorebirds and large numbers of gulls and terns, notably
Larus genei,
L. cachinnans/
L. argentatus and
Sterna sandvicensis. Other wintering waterfowl include many
Podiceps cristatus. The dunes, open thorn woodland and rocky hills around the bay support a typical Baluchi avifauna including
Francolinus pondicerianus,
Athene brama,
Calandrella raytal,
Hirundo obsoleta and
Oenanthe alboniger.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There is no legal protection. The principal threat is pollution from the busy harbour town of Chahbahar.
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Chahbahar Bay and Khor Konarak (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/chahbahar-bay-and-khor-konarak-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 24/12/2024.
