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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2002 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
Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor	EN	winter (1993–2002)	present	A1, A4i
Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes	VU	passage (2001)	1–2 individuals	A1
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis	NT	non-breeding (1994)	5 individuals	A1
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (1997)	900 individuals	A4i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (1996)	5,000 individuals	A4i
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea	CR	winter (1993–2002)	8–27 individuals	A1
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (1995)	1,500 individuals	A4i
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus	NT	winter (1993–2001)	53–181 individuals	A1, A4i
Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes	LC	passage (1997)	1,000 individuals	A4i
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus	LC	passage (1988)	1,500 individuals	A4i
Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer	EN	winter (1993–2000)	10–28 individuals	A1, A4i
Saunders's Gull Saundersilarus saundersi	VU	winter (1988–2002)	44–100 individuals	A1, A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (1996)	20,000–33,000 individuals	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2002. The most recent assessment (2008) is shown below.

State (condition of the key species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor	70 / 80 (individuals)	88	near favourable

State (condition of the key species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	-	-	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	moderate deteri­oration (10–30% in 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Pollution	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 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	A compre­hensive and appropriate manage­ment plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the popul­ations of qualify­ing bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
2003	Xuan Thuy	Vườn quốc gia (II)	59
2004	Red River Delta	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	100

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
Xuan Thuy Site Support Group	2006

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please visit Spotlight on local empowerment.

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	major (>10)	Other artificial wetlands
Artificial/Terrestrial	major (>10)	Arable land; Small settlements, rural gardens; Forestry and agro-industrial plantations
Forest	major (>10)	Mangrove forest (tropical)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Xuan Thuy (Vietnam). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/xuan-thuy-iba-vietnam on 13/01/2025.