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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 ('triggering') IBA criteria.

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

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	winter (1973)	1 birds	B2
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	breeding (1997)	50-249 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	LC	winter (1973–1979)	23,040–42,280 birds	A4i, B1i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter (1973–1979)	5,440–10,830 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (1973–1979)	3,514–6,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	LC	winter (1973–1979)	4,479–12,400 birds	A4i, B1i
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (1973–1979)	6,608–12,200 birds	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter (1973–1979)	25,968–59,600 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter (1973–1979)	53,285–121,455 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	winter (1985)	1 birds	B2
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	winter (1973–1975)	25–1,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter (1973–1975)	166–272 birds	B1i
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath	LC	resident (1985)	rare	B1i, B2
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (1973–1979)	81–243 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	winter (1973–1979)	1,272–1,741 birds	A4i, B1i
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (1973–1979)	6–48 birds	A1, B2
African Darter Anhinga rufa	LC	resident (1985)	present	B1i, B2
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	winter (1973–1975)	26–277 birds	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	resident (1985)	abundant	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter (1973–1979)	680–6,383 birds	A4i, B1i
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	winter (1979)	6 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage (1979)	1 birds	A1, A4i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (1973–1975)	142–355 birds	B1i
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (1973–1975)	192–2,125 birds	B1i
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus	LC	winter (1973–1979)	230–878 birds	A4i, B1i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	winter (1973–1975)	7–104 birds	B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	winter (1973–1979)	31–356 birds	B1i
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter (1979)	8 birds	B2
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	winter (1985)	3 birds	B2
Basra Reed-warbler Acrocephalus griseldis	EN	breeding (1985)	common	A1, A2, B2
Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris	LC	resident (1985)	common	A2, B3
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus	LC	breeding (1985)	present	B3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1973–1979)	128,000–284,000 birds	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 trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	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)	-

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	minor (<10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
hunting	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
agriculture	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Haur Al Hammar (Iraq). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/haur-al-hammar-iba-iraq on 23/12/2024.