Data Zone
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 ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris | NT | breeding (2005–2012) | present | A1 |
| Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris | NT | winter (2009–2010) | 400–800 birds | A1, A4i |
| Slender-billed Gull Larus genei | LC | resident (2005–2012) | 3,000 pairs | A4i |
| Basra Reed-warbler Acrocephalus griseldis | EN | breeding (2007–2010) | 300 pairs | A1, A2 |
| Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris | LC | resident (2008–2010) | 400 pairs | A2 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | winter (2005–2012) | min 30,000 birds | A4iii |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | not assessed | very high | very low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | unset | good | |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Little/none of area covered (<10%) | No management planning has taken place | Not assessed | very low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities | World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) | 25 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | major (>10) | Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens & peatlands |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| hunting | major (>10) |
| fisheries/aquaculture | major (>10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: East Hammar (Iraq). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/east-hammar-iba-iraq on 23/12/2024.