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.
Species |
Red List |
Season (year/s of estimate) |
Size |
IBA criteria |
Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi |
LC |
resident (1991) |
present |
A3, B3 |
Garganey Spatula querquedula |
LC |
passage (1991) |
10,000 birds |
B1i |
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii |
LC |
resident (1993) |
present |
A3 |
Common Crane Grus grus |
LC |
passage (1991) |
500 birds |
A4i, B1i |
Black Stork Ciconia nigra |
LC |
passage (1991) |
3,771 birds |
B1i |
White Stork Ciconia ciconia |
LC |
passage (1991) |
11,000 birds |
B1i |
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea |
LC |
passage (1991) |
1,000 birds |
B1i |
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus |
LC |
passage (1991) |
5,850 birds |
B1i |
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus |
LC |
passage (1991) |
300 birds |
B1i |
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris |
CR |
passage (1977) |
1 birds |
A1, A4i |
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis |
LC |
passage (1991) |
500 birds |
A4i, B1i |
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni |
NT |
passage (1991) |
5–80 birds |
A1, B2 |
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus |
LC |
non-breeding (1991) |
1–80 birds |
A1, B2 |
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus |
LC |
passage (1991) |
50,000 birds |
A4i, B1i |
Pallid Scops-owl Otus brucei |
LC |
winter (1991) |
3 birds |
B3 |
Desert Tawny Owl Strix hadorami |
LC |
resident (1991) |
4–10 pairs |
A3, B3 |
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus |
LC |
passage (1977–1988) |
363,200–851,598 birds |
B2 |
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus |
EN |
passage (1977–1988) |
428–802 birds |
B2 |
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca |
VU |
passage (1977–1988) |
64–90 birds |
A1, B2 |
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca |
VU |
winter (1991) |
1–2 birds |
B2 |
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes |
LC |
passage (1977–1988) |
16,280–49,836 birds |
B2 |
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni |
LC |
passage (1977–1988) |
22 birds |
A1, B2 |
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor |
VU |
breeding (1991) |
5–10 pairs |
A3, B2 |
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus |
LC |
resident (1991) |
1 pairs |
B2 |
Arabian Lark Eremalauda eremodites |
LC |
resident (1993) |
present |
A3 |
Arabian Babbler Argya squamiceps |
LC |
resident (1991) |
present |
A3, B3 |
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii |
LC |
resident (1991) |
10–50 pairs |
B3 |
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii |
LC |
winter (1991) |
5,000 birds |
B3 |
Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha |
LC |
resident (1991) |
present |
A3, B3 |
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus |
LC |
passage (1991) |
5,000 birds |
B3 |
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus |
LC |
winter (1991) |
100 birds |
B3 |
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus |
LC |
resident (1991) |
2–4 pairs |
B2 |
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus |
LC |
winter (1991) |
20–50 birds |
B2 |
Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea |
NT |
passage (1991) |
15 birds |
A1, B2 |
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes |
n/a |
passage (1977–1988) |
1,200,000 birds |
A4iv, B1iv |