Sàlim Javed Environment Agency Abu Dhabi PO BOX 45553, United Arab Emirates Bird Conservation Programme

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1 Sàlim Javed Environment Agency Abu Dhabi PO BOX 45553, United Arab Emirates Bird Conservation Programme

2 BACKGROUND Number of species Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals Higher Vertebrate Diversity About 800 plant species > 4000 insect species

3 Rich Avifauna WHY A BIRD PROGRAM? 435 species (>100 breeding species) Constitute 82% of Higher Vertebrate Diversity Important wintering & stopover site Globally Threatened species EN - Saker & Egyptian Vulture VU Socotra Cormorant, Houbara NT Ferruginous Duck, Pallid Harrier Nationally / Regionally Important Species & populations Red-billed Tropicbird / Crab Plover / Kentish Plover Lesser Crested Tern/White-cheeked Tern /Ospreys

4 Extinct Sir Abu Nair Zirku Arzanah Jazira-e- Naitah Jarnein Delma Ghasha WHY ARE WE CONCERNEFD? Limited previous studies Lack of regular quantitative data Threats to birds 120, ,000 80,000 Decline & loss of some breeding colonies i.e. Socotra Cormorant 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Dhubaya Yasat Sinaya Muhaiyamat Ghagah Fateh Dayyinah Butinah

5 Bird Surveys Monitoring Key & Threatened Species Breeding terns & Sooty gull, Socotra Cormorant, Osprey, Red-billed Tropicbird, Crab plover etc Monitoring Important Sites Important congregatory sites wintering & breeding Protected areas Focussed Studies WHAT ARE WE DOING? Movement & Migration of key species Breeding Ecology Conservation & Networking

6 WHAT ARE WE ACHIEVING?

7 New nesting sites Crab Plover Red-billed Tropicbird Securing protection Follow-up Bird Surveys Important & new species / new sites 24 16'0"N 24 15'20"N 24 14'40"N 24 14'0"N 24 13'20"N 24 12'40"N 24 12'0"N 24 11'20"N 24 10'40"N 53 44'40"E 53 44'40"E 53 45'20"E 53 45'20"E 53 46'0"E Existing Nesting Colony 53 46'0"E 53 46'40"E 53 46'40"E 53 47'20"E 53 47'20"E 53 48'0"E [«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«53 48'0"E 53 48'40"E 53 48'40"E 53 49'20"E [«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«[«53 49'20"E 53 50'0"E New Nesting Colony º 2,100 1, ,100 Meters 53 50'0"E 53 50'40"E Legend 53 50'40"E 53 51'20"E 53 51'20"E 53 52'0"E [«New nesting colony [«Existing colony Nesting area 53 52'0"E 24 10'40"N 24 11'20"N 24 12'0"N 24 12'40"N 24 13'20"N 24 14'0"N 24 14'40"N 24 15'20"N 24 16'0"N Most sensitive Very sensitive Sensitive Mildly sensitive Not sensitive/ Not in survey Birds only Tropic birds Mangroves

8 Monitoring Key & Threatened Species Baseline data for assessments & action planning Understanding Trends in numbers of important breeding bird species

9 Monitoring Key & Threatened Species Baseline data for assessments & action planning 59 sites surveyed in Abu Dhabi for Ospreys 109 nests recorded 79 were natural 30 on nesting platforms 55% of all nests were active At least 61 breeding pairs Morawah Yasat Island Complex Mohayamat Island Complex Faziya Al Bazm Gerain Al Aish Butina Ghagha Maimah (Naitah) Umm Amim Ushh Ghasha Jenana Jernein Umm Al Hatab Umm Kirkum Fiya Judairah Umm Qasr Dabaya Island Complex Hook Jazeera Sharaw Salaha Island Complex Ghumais 2 Ospreys in Abu Dhabi constitute >90% of all the UAE birds Nearly 20% of the entire ME, nonbreeding numbers Nests Attended Inactive nests Active nests

10 Monitoring Important Sites Input for PA Management / Identification of hotspots Monitoring (PA s i.e. Wathba) Monitoring Important Bird Areas Monitoring important congregatory sites Adult Sub_adult Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

11 Monitoring Key Species & Sites Assessment of Important Islands Based on 9 breeding species, number & risk attributes 15 Important Islands priority for conservation 85% of all the IBAs in Abu Dhabi Emirate 85% of all the tern colonies 99% of entire tern breeding population 80% of the breeding population of Socotra Cormorant All colonies of Sooty Gull & Crab Plover Identified Five New island IBAs & Updated others

12 Avian Influenza Global Crisis & Local Action

13 Monitoring for Avian Influenza Early Detection & Action in case of an Outbreak National Bird Monitoring Plan Identified 60 sites across UAE Identification of interaction sites Surveillance for HPAI Regular monitoring Monthly Monitoring Reports Coastal Green Areas Creeks Islands Inland Wetland Mountain Number of monitorigs Desert Habitats

14 MOVEMENT & MIGRATION Valuable Knowledge Base / Data for Conservation Planning Establish the origin of flamingos wintering in the UAE Determine local movement & Habitat Use Document migration routes & stopover sites Understand post-breeding dispersal in Tropicbirds, Ospreys Understand Role of Migratory Birds in HPAI spread

15 Established origin & migration UAE Flamingos

16 Local Movement & Wetland Use Extensive local movements across UAE Extensive use of key coastal & inland wetlands Protection of network of coastal and inland wetland sites Strong case for inter-emirate cooperation Number of days Al Wathba Aryam Coast Musaffah coast Shahama Ras Al Khor H= 37.6, df=6, P<0.000, Kruskal Wallis Khor Beidah

17 Outward Migration of Tropicbirds & Osprey

18 CONSERVATION & NETWORKING A SQL based application holds all bird data Nearly 94,837 records Working with EBRC to establish a National Bird Database Within Agency AGEDI /AD-SNIPP process; sector papers Geo-spatial data portal Coastal Sensitivity Atlas Spreading Awareness

19 Local Support for captive wildlife collection Support / Collaboration Oil industry i.e. ZADCO Department of Civil Aviation Dubai Municipality International Collaboration Collaboration/ Support FAO / USGS / Wetlands International APMWG-AI Collaboration with University of Bath (UK) Partnership for RAPTOR Agreement

20 Site Protection