Shatt Al Arab marshes (Iraq) IBA | Details

Shatt Al Arab marshes

Current view: Data table and detailed info

IBA Justification

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
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	breeding (1997)	250-999 birds	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter (1975)	60–4,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter (1975)	2 birds	B2
Basra Reed-warbler Acrocephalus griseldis	EN	breeding (1985)	present	A1, A2, B2

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1994. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment	State	Pressure	Response
2013	not assessed	high	very low
Whole site assessed?	State assessed by	Accuracy of information
yes	unset	unknown

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	most of population/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Not assessed	very low

Habitats

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	100

Land use

Land use	% of IBA
unknown	-

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Shatt Al Arab marshes (Iraq). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/shatt-al-arab-marshes-iba-iraq on 23/12/2024.