SA023
Taif escarpment


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
Philby's Partridge Alectoris philbyi LC resident (1993) frequent A2, A3, B3
Arabian Partridge Alectoris melanocephala LC resident (1993) uncommon A3, B3
Montane Nightjar Caprimulgus poliocephalus LC resident (1993) uncommon A3, B2
Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus NT resident (1993) uncommon B2
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus LC resident (1993) 12 pairs B2
Arabian Woodpecker Dendropicos dorae NT resident (1993) common A1, A3, B2
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii LC resident (1993) common A3
Yemen Thrush Turdus menachensis NT resident (1993) frequent A1, A2, A3, B2
Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides LC resident (1993) common A3
Arabian Waxbill Estrilda rufibarba LC resident (1993) present A2, A3
Arabian Serin Crithagra rothschildi LC resident (1993) present A3
Yemen Serin Crithagra menachensis LC resident (1993) present A2, A3
Yemen Linnet Linaria yemenensis LC resident (1993) common A2, A3, B3
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes n/a passage (1993) 4,500 birds B1iv

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 low 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
Residential and commercial development happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) low

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
Artificial/Terrestrial major (>10)
Shrubland major (>10)
Forest minor (<10)
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) minor (<10)

Land use

Land use % of IBA
tourism/recreation major (>10)
agriculture major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland major (>10)
other minor (<10)
hunting minor (<10)
urban/industrial/transport minor (<10)


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Taif escarpment (Saudi Arabia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/taif-escarpment-iba-saudi-arabia on 23/12/2024.