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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
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	winter (1970–1977)	442 birds	B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter (1970–1977)	400 birds	B1i
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath	LC	resident (1976–1977)	7 birds	A4i, B1i, B2
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	winter (1970–1977)	445 birds	B1i
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis	LC	resident (1977)	50 pairs	B1i
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis	LC	winter (1970–1977)	458 birds	B1i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (1970–1977)	100–210 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Great Thick-knee Esacus recurvirostris	NT	resident (1977)	4 pairs	B3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter (1970–1977)	331 birds	B1i
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (1970–1977)	5,850 birds	A4i, B1i
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (1970–1977)	2,410 birds	A4i, B1i
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	1,000 birds	B1i
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	3,000 birds	B1i
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola	LC	resident (1977)	20 pairs	B3
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola	LC	winter (1970–1977)	940 birds	A4i, B1i, B3
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter (1970–1977)	20,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	winter (1977)	3,000 birds	B1i
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	winter (1970–1977)	355 birds	A4i, B1i
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	breeding (1977)	5 pairs	B2
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	winter (1977)	35 birds	B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1977)	20,000 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 (1994) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in long term (>4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1976	Hara	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	86
1982	Hara	Protected Area (V)	86

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

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
forestry	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Khouran Straits (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/khouran-straits-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 24/12/2024.