Taxon name
Dromas ardeola
Paykull, 1805
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Dromas ardeola
Paykull, 1805
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Birds
Species authority
Paykull, 1805
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Qualifying criteria (if given)
B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species has a fairly large breeding population, but a smaller non-breeding population. The breeding population is thought to be increasing, while the non-breeding population is assumed to be declining within the UAE.Nesting occurs on two small islands with a highly restricted extent of occurrence;(EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO). The;breeding population qualifies as Endangered under criterion B, presuming no rescue effect given that populations;within the Arabian Peninsula;are declining (Symes et al. 2015). The non-breeding population may warrant listing as EN under criteria C1+2a(ii). Based on regional criteria, neither of the two populations require a regional adjustment, as the breeding population in the wider Arabian Peninsula is thought to be in decline. The breeding population takes precedence here though, so the species is listed as Endangered under criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii).
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species is a breeding resident occurring on Umm Amim and Abu Al Abyad islands in the Abu Dhabi Emirate (Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi 2016, Pedersen et al. 2017), although some of the population may disperse in the non-breeding season. About 1,500 breeding pairs have been recorded there in 2012 (Pedersen et al. 2017), but the new colony at Abu Al Abyad has recently seen rapid declines (Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi 2016).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species inhabits coastal zones like mudflats, coral reefs, mangroves and sheltered lagoons, but never occurs inland (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). Breeding colonies are situated on sandbanks and islets low above the high tide mark or on sandy dunes (Hayman et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). Outside of the breeding season, the species is found on open mudflats, sometimes in proximity to mangroves (Jennings 2010). During passage, it also occurs along creeks (Richardson 1990). Its diet consists predominantly (> 95%) of crabs and occasionally of small fish (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). The species forages nocturnally mostly under semi-closed mangroves (Avicennia marina), but occasionally also on open intertidal flats (Jennings 2010). The breeding season starts in May, when nesting tunnels and burrows are excavated in moist sand (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). These tunnels can be more than 2 m long and lead up to 1 m below the surface (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). There is no other nesting material used (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain only one egg (Jennings 2010). Chicks hatch by mid-June and fledge in August (Jennings 2010). Juveniles remain with their parents for several months, including on the wintering grounds (Jennings 2010). The migratory movements are poorly understood. Individuals from the breeding colonies on Umm Amim and Abu al-Abyadh islands may disperse after the breeding season locally in response to food availability (Jennings 2010). However, individuals may also migrate southwards between August and November; one satellite-tagged bird from the UAE was found to winter in the Seychelles (Javed et al. 2011), while others may move to the East African coast or the eastern Indian Ocean (Jennings 2010). These individuals return northwards between March and April, although over much of its range the species is present in fluctuating numbers throughout the year (Hayman et al. 1986).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The species is threatened by future oil spills (Aspinall 1996, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Hockey et al. 2005) and the introduction of nest predators onto breeding islands (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Symes et al. 2015). Rat predation was first observed on Umm Amim;in 2005.;The planting of mangrove stands over bare substrates in some areas may also reduce the availability of nest sites (Hockey et al. 2005), while coastal development could also threaten existing colonies (Aspinall 1996, Symes et al. 2015, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi 2016).;Eggs and young of the species used to be collected from nesting colonies in the wider Arabian region, a practice which may still occur (Hockey et al. 2005, Symes et al. 2015), while intrusions by people collecting the eggs of other species (e.g. Bridled Tern) can result in nest destruction (Aspinall 1996).
History
The species is considered to have been Endangered in 1996 on the basis of restricted nesting EOO and AOO, with rescue effect uncertain and therefore not applied.
Publication
Burfield, I.J., Westrip, J., Sheldon, R.D., Hermes, C., Wheatley, H., Smith, D., Harding, K.A. Allen, D.J. and Alshamsi, O. 2021. UAE National Red List of Birds. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
