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• Text account
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• Reference and further resources

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
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding	2014-2017	1,500-6,000 individuals	A4, B3a
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	non-breeding	2014-2017	700-4,000 individuals	A4, B3a
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter	2014-2017	2,000-10,000 individuals	B3a
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter	2014-2017	20-30 individuals	A1
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2014-2017	8,150-27,800 individuals	B3b

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

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	3,750	3,750	individuals	100	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	440	400	individuals	91	favourable
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	1,300	2,350	individuals	100	favourable
Charadrius mongolus	1,900	700	individuals	37	very unfavourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	250	50	individuals	20	very unfavourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,000	350	individuals	35	very unfavourable
Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus	530	200	individuals	38	very unfavourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	2,000	3,000	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	460	100	individuals	22	very unfavourable
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	2,500	6,000	individuals	100	favourable
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	8	25	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	19,000	18,000	individuals	95	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Intertidal	good (> 90%)	poor (40-69%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Pollution	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Ras Al Khawr Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	100
2007	Ras Al Khor	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Subtropical & tropical mangrove	7
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

Dubai Municipality.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (Khor Dubai) (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ras-al-khor-wildlife-sanctuary-(khor-dubai)-iba-united-arab-emirates on 23/11/2024.