Tharthar Lake and Al-Dhebaeji Fields (Iraq)

IQ051

Tharthar Lake and Al-Dhebaeji Fields

Current view: Data table and detailed info

IBA Justification

The site was identified as important in 2014 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
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	winter	2010	43 individuals	A1
White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus	LC	resident	2009	1 breeding pairs	A3
Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor	LC	resident	2012	1 breeding pairs	A3
Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis	LC	resident	2009	4 individuals	A3
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes	LC	resident	2010	2 individuals	A3
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti	LC	resident	2010	2 individuals	A3
White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis	LC	resident	2010	15 breeding pairs	A3
Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris	LC	resident	2012	1 breeding pairs	A3
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus	LC	resident	2010	8 breeding pairs	A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2014) may differ.

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment	State	Pressure	Response
2013	not assessed	high	negligible
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
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Not assessed	negligible

Habitats

Habitat¹	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	Water-storage areas	85
Desert		15

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use

Land use	% of IBA
water management	18
agriculture	1
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
hunting	major (>10)

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tharthar Lake and Al-Dhebaeji Fields (Iraq). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tharthar-lake-and-al-dhebaeji-fields-iba-iraq on 23/11/2024.