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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
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	VU	breeding (1991–1993)	30 breeding pairs	A1, B2
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus	LC	breeding (1993)	34,400 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	breeding (1993)	2–3 breeding pairs	B3
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	non-breeding (1993)	50 individuals	B3
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa	LC	breeding (1993)	10,400 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	LC	breeding (1993)	24,250 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	breeding (1993)	3,500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding (1993)	72,550 breeding pairs	A4iii

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
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	rapid deteri­oration (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	A manage­ment plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Not assessed	low

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

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	major (>10)
other	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gulf coral islands (Saudi Arabia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gulf-coral-islands-iba-saudi-arabia on 14/01/2025.