Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2017 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crab-plover Dromas ardeola | LC | breeding (2005–2017) | 100–190 breeding pairs | B2a |
| Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus | LC | breeding (2005–2017) | 3,000–3,500 breeding pairs | A4, B3a |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2017. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2017 | near favourable | medium | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | medium | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Crab-plover Dromas ardeola | 190 / 145 (breeding pairs) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus | 3,000 / 3,250 (breeding pairs) | 93 | favourable | ||
| White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa | 85 / 100 (breeding pairs) | 85 | near favourable | ||
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | few individuals/small area (<10%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | No management plan exists, but the management planning process has begun | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Marawah | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Neritic | major (>10) |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| other | minor (<10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Umm Amim (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/umm-amim-iba-united-arab-emirates on 20/01/2025.