Data Zone
Country/territory: United Arab Emirates
IBA criteria met: A1, A4, B3a, B3b (2017)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 1,000 hectares (10.00 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2017 | moderate | high | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (1994 baseline)
A flat island, 12 km × 1 km, situated 2 km north-east of Umm al Quwain town, and mainly composed of low sand-dunes, saltflats and some shallow hollows, with sparse salt-tolerant scrub. The sheltered inland side is much dissected by tidal inlets, with associated mudflats; apart from some mangrove Avicennia the island is tree-less. Tidal amplitude is 1 m. Khor al Beidah (site 005) lies opposite on the mainland.
Key biodiversity
See box for key species. The site is of global importance as one of the largest remaining colonies of Phalacrocorax nigrogularis in the world; numbers fluctuate annually and the site has never been aerially surveyed, so the cumulative breeding population over an entire season may be much higher.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: gazelles Gazella have been introduced, and there are now c.50-100 on the island, mostly G. gazella (V) with some G. dorcas arabica (V).
Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by Colin Richardson.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Siniyah Island (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/siniyah-island-iba-united-arab-emirates on 25/12/2024.