Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
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.
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.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There are (or were) feral goats on Bu Rashid (Tawakkul). The speed and volume of small boat traffic apparently disturbs feeding flocks of
Phalacrocorax nigrogularis significantly. Oil pollution from tanker washings is frequent despite the efforts of Coastguards to prevent violation of the international maritime legislation to which Oman is a signatory; the site lies next to a major tanker lane. Six of the seven most important islands for breeding birds are proposed National Nature Reserves (totalling 630 ha), as follows (proposed areas include sea and sublittoral habitat 200 m beyond low water mark): Jazirat Abu Sir (Jazirat Fujar, 150 ha), Jazirat al Khayl (Jazirat Kun, 300 ha), Bu Rashid (Tawakkul, As Suwayq, 50 ha), Jazirat as Salamah (Jazirat Quwayn al Kabir, 60 ha), Fanaku (20 ha) and Jazirat Umm al Fayyarin (50 ha). The seventh such island, Jazirat Lima (c.40 ha), is not part of a proposed Nature Conservation Area.
Data-sheet compiled by Simon Albrecht.
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.
