• Summary
• Text
• Details
• Map
• Resources

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1994 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding (1993)	10 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	winter (1990–1992)	59–82 individuals	A4i, B1i
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath	LC	resident (1993)	1–4 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster	LC	breeding (1993)	150 breeding pairs	B1ii
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter (1990–1992)	351–500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Charadrius mongolus	NR	winter (1990–1992)	180–310 individuals	B1i
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter (1990–1992)	307–354 individuals	B1i
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola	LC	resident (1993)	110 breeding pairs	B3
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus	LC	breeding (1993)	10,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii	LC	resident (1993)	545 individuals	B3
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus	LC	breeding (1993)	300 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus	LC	non-breeding (1992)	21 individuals	B2
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus	LC	breeding (1993)	12,150 individuals	A4i, B1i
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	resident (1993)	20 breeding pairs	B3
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	winter (1990–1992)	365–595 individuals	A4i, B1i, B3
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa	LC	breeding (1993)	8,300 individuals	A4i, B1i, B3
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	resident (1992)	20–65 breeding pairs	B2
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor	VU	breeding (1993)	32 breeding pairs	B2

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1994. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	no deteri­oration (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of site (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A compre­hensive and appropriate manage­ment plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the popul­ations of qualify­ing bird species	Not assessed	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1988	Farasan Islands	محمية موارد مستغلة (VI)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Shrubland	major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)
Forest	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
hunting	major (>10)
agriculture	minor (<10)
rangeland/pastureland	minor (<10)
other	minor (<10)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Farasan Islands (Saudi Arabia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/farasan-islands-iba-saudi-arabia on 24/01/2025.