• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (1994 baseline)
At least 16 rugged, rather barren islands offshore of the Musandam region (mainly to the north and east), together with their surrounding seas. See 'Conservation issues' for names and areas.

Key biodiversity
See box for key species. Jazirat Umm al Fayyarin is the most important seabird breeding island in the Musandam region, but six of the other islands add significantly to the diversity of breeding seabirds covered by the proposed system of Nature Conservation Areas. Notable concentrations of feeding seabirds also occur in the rich seas offshore during migration seasons and in winter. Sterna anaethetus nests in important numbers on Jazirat Umm al Fayyarin, and other breeding species include Phaethon aethereus (confirmed or suspected on all of the islands; daily max. 100 birds, outside breeding season in January), Egretta gularis (20 pairs, on Jazirat Lima), Pandion haliaetus (c.30 pairs on all Musandam islands; 8–9 pairs on the seven most important breeding seabird islands), Falco concolor (2 pairs) and abundant Apus pallidus. Notable passage migrants include Larus ridibundus (abundant in winter) and Larus genei (min. 450, November).

Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.

Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by Simon Albrecht.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Musandam islands (Oman). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/musandam-islands-iba-oman on 23/12/2024.