AE005
Khor Al Beidah


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important 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 List1 Season Year(s) Size IBA criteria
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis LC non-breeding 2010-2015 210-310 individuals B3a
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus LC non-breeding 2010-2015 1,000-2,000 individuals B3a
Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii LC passage 2010-2015 850-2,000 individuals B3a
Charadrius mongolus NR winter 2010-2015 1,700-4,000 individuals A4, B3a
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris EN winter 2010-2015 60-88 individuals B3a
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola LC winter 2010-2015 350-450 individuals B2a

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2017) may differ.


IBA Conservation

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.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2017 near favourable high negligible
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes population poor

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Reference Actual Units % remaining Result
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis 170 210 individuals 100 favourable
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 250 1,500 individuals 100 favourable
Charadrius mongolus 800 1,700 individuals 100 favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 800 150 individuals 19 not assessed
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 1,000 900 individuals 90 near favourable
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris 50 58 individuals 100 favourable
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola 500 400 individuals 80 near favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds 2,800 2,750 individuals 99 favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Forest good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Marine Coastal/Supratidal good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable
Marine Intertidal good (> 90%) good (> 90%) favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Residential and commercial development likely in short term (within 4 years) some of area/population (10-49%) very rapid to severe deterioration high
Biological resource use happening now majority/most of area/population (50-90%) slow but significant deterioration high
Transportation and service corridors happening now small area/few individuals (<10%) moderate to rapid deterioration low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas Management plan Other action Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%) No management planning has taken place Very little or no conservation action taking place negligible

Habitats

Habitat1 Habitat detail % of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal major (>10)
Marine Intertidal major (>10)
Desert Hot minor (<10)
Forest Subtropical & tropical mangrove minor (<10)
Marine Neritic minor (<10)
1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use

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


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Khor Al Beidah (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/khor-al-beidah-iba-united-arab-emirates on 22/11/2024.