Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper reviews the status of 20 Important Bird Areas in the United Arab Emirates which were first defined in the early 1990s. Ornithologically, the country is notable for important populations of seabirds, waterbirds and a number of restricted-range landbird species.The IBA programme was an important step forward in drawing attention to key sites, but progress in safeguarding these core areas has been patchy. Given the speed of development in many parts of the UAE, the need to identify conservation priorities is now vital.he United Arab Emirates, a country of around 90,000 km 2 that lies in the southern Arabian Gulf, is a federation of seven separate emirates that was established in 1971. It has been a popular destination for visiting ornithologists for many years, particularly in winter and spring, with species such as Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus, Crab-plover Dromas ardeola, Hume's Wheatear Oenanthe alboniger and Plain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus neglectus, among a great many others, proving a particular draw. All of these and many other migrants, including waterfowl, and a number of breeding species, are well known both within and beyond the UAE. What is less well known is the level of protection afforded to important resorts, whether they are, for example, seabird colonies, vital shorebird stopover sites or areas which are representative of a particular regional bird community. In the early 1990s, BirdLife International was responsible for collating a review of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for the Middle East (Evans 1994). Of 20 such sites identified in