• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2017 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
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	VU	breeding (2014–2017)	13,000–20,000 pairs	A1, A4, B3a
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	VU	non-breeding (2005–2017)	20,000–30,000 birds	A1, A4, B3a
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	breeding (2005–2017)	4–10 pairs	B2a
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding (2014–2015)	13,000–20,000 pairs	B3b

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2017. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	20,000 / 16,500 (pairs)	100	good
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	30,000 / 20,000 (birds)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
military	major (>10)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ghagha Island (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ghagha-island-iba-united-arab-emirates on 25/12/2024.