Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The site consists of two adjacent islands in the Gulf of Aden, close to the border with Djibouti in the extreme north-west of the country. Jasiira Ceebaad (Aibat island) (c.150 ha) lies 16 km north of the coastal town of Saylac. It is low-lying and exposed, with sandy beaches and sandflats plus coral reefs that are uncovered at low tide. Vegetation cover is principally
Suaeda fruticosa. Nearby Jasiira Sacaada Diin (Saada Din island) (c.540 ha, maximum elevation c.3.6 m) supports an area of
Rhizophora mucronata mangroves bordering a lagoon.
See Box for key species. There is no recent information, but
Larus leucophthalmus bred in thousands on both islands during the first half of the twentieth century. In addition to those listed below, breeding species reported in the past include
Sula leucogaster,
Larus hemprichii,
Sterna repressa (several hundred),
S. bergii and
S. bengalensis (less than 1,000 of the latter two combined).
Sula dactylatra has also been reported from Jasiira Ceebaad as have colonies of
Egretta gularis and
Platalea leucorodia from Sacaada Diin. Numerous species of Palearctic migrant waders and waterfowl also occur seasonally.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Mangroves are cleared for fuelwood and timber, and the patches that remain are under great pressure.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Jasiira Ceebaad and Jasiira Sacaada Diin (Somalia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/jasiira-ceebaad-and-jasiira-sacaada-diin-iba-somalia on 23/11/2024.
