It is unlikely that the species faces any severe threats within the UAE, although overgrazing outside of Protected Areas potentially could have an impact. In Europe, it is thought large scale redevelopment and regeneration of city centre sites is causing the loss of suitable breeding habitat, as well as everyday disturbance to the species due to anthropogenic activities (see BirdLife International 2015, Wildlife Trust 2015). This could affect individuals that visit UAE, but it is highly uncertain.

Changes to management practices of agricultural land could reduce the available breeding habitat for this species (Aspinall 1996). This involves the removal of overgrown patches at corners and edges of fields as well as the clearance of undergrowth (Aspinall 1996).

The main threats to this species within the UAE is likely from overgrazing and disturbance (Richardson 2003, Symes et al. 2015). Unless any persecution occurs, the species is unlikely to face any other significant threats (see Aspinall 1996).

The main threat to this species likely occur outside of UAE waters - globally, population size has been historically limited by humans taking chicks for food, a practice which continues on a local basis today at breeding sites. Little is known about the level of impact, but;caution should be exerted since the cause for the overall global decline in this species is unknown (Brooke 2004).

Within the UAE, the species is potentially impacted by oil and other marine pollution such as plastics, but the severity of these threats are essentially unknown.Across its global range, a suite of other threats have been identified, which could have an impact on individuals that visit UAE:The species is at risk from incidental capture in longline, trawl and gill-net fisheries and suffers the additional effects of depletion of prey stocks (Uhlmann 2003). The species is also subject to direct persecution, and harvesting of young birds ('muttonbirding') currently accounts for the take of around a quarter of a million birds annually (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Heather and Robertson 1997, Newman et al. 2008, 2009), but is unlikely to account for the scale of the observed decline. Investigation into the biological impact of climatic trends led to predictions of large-scale shifts in foraging distribution during the boreal summer and/or dramatic reductions in abundance and survival rate (Ainley et al. 1995, Veit et al. 1996, 1997, Spear and Ainley 1999, Wahl and Tweit 2000, Oedekoven et al. 2001, Hyrenbach and Veit 2003), and indeed it has now been noted that climate change is affecting the foraging distribution of this species at least along the Californian coast (Veit et al. 1997). Declines at monitored breeding sites appear to be linked to changed patterns in large scale oceanic cycles which reduce prey availability (Clucas 2011). Both Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus and House Rat R. rattus are present within the species breeding range, and although egg and chick predation by rats has been demonstrated, the extent of impact is unknown (Jones et al. 2008).

Within the UAE, there is a risk of oil and other marine (plastic) pollution, but the severity of this on individuals that visit the country is essentially unknown. The species does also face a large variety of threats highlighted as potentially having an impact on the overall global population, but the proportion of the individuals that visit the UAE that are affected by these are not certain. These threats include bycatch in fisheries, with the species particularly severely impacted by this (see Tuck et al. 2003, Baker and Wise 2005; Richard and Abraham 2013, 2014). Additionally, the species is globally affected by the ingestion of plastic pollution (see Robertson et al. 2004, Bond and Lavers 2011, Lavers et al. 2014, Lavers and Bond 2016, Lewis 2016), predation by invasive mammals (e.g. Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus, House Rat R. rattus, Red Fox Vulpes vulpes; Gaze 2000, Taylor 2000, Pridell et al. 2006) (as well as competition with rabbits for burrows; Lavers 2015), collisions with traffic (Hutton 2003, DECC 2008), and development of breeding areas (Priddel et al. 2006).

Seabirds, including this species, were formerly exploited for food and medicinal use (at a subsistence level [Al-Saghier et al. 2000]) on the Halaaniyaat islands (Gallagher 1985) and Socotra (Al-Saghier et al. 2000, Porter et al. in prep.), but this practice appears to be discontinued due to the availability of cheap poultry and the danger of climbing the cliffs (Taleb 2002). Non-native predators (e.g. rats Rattus spp. and Feral Cats Felis catus) are probably a limiting factor on the species' breeding population size (Al-Saghier et al. 2000), although their impact on the Socotran subpopulation may have stabilised long ago, given the long period (over 2,000 years) of coexistence. Mortality and ecosystem degradation resulting from marine oil spills are potential threats.

The most relevant threats within UAE are changes in coastal land-use and the possibility of oil pollution, but the severity of these threats towards this species is unknown.Individuals of this species that visit UAE are also potentially threatened by a range of threats that operate outside of the country. These external threats include habitat degradation through drainage and pollution (e.g. chlorinated hydrocarbons); the species is especially affected by the disappearance of reed swamps due to agricultural and hydroelectric development (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Hancock et al. 1992). Over-fishing and disturbance have caused population declines in Greece, and human exploitation of eggs and nestlings for food has threatened the species in the past (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Hancock et al. 1992). Poaching and collisions with overhead electricity cables are the main non-natural causes of death during migration (Triplet et al. 2008).;The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus (Melville and Shortridge 2006).

The most relevant threats within UAE are changes in coastal land-use and the possibility of oil pollution, but the severity of these threats towards this species is unknown.Individuals of this species that visit UAE are also threatened by a range of threats that operate outside of the country. For instance the species is threatened by wetland habitat degradation and loss (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Snow and Perrins 1998) through drainage (Marchant and Higgins 1990, Hancock et al. 1992) for irrigation and hydroelectric power production (Balian et al. 2002), clearing, grazing, burning, increased salinity, groundwater extraction and invasion by exotic plants (Marchant and Higgins 1990). It is also threatened locally by hunting (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Snow and Perrins 1998), disturbance and pesticides (del Hoyo et al. 1992), and is susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus (Melville and Shortridge 2006). Climate change may affect the species in the future.

Within the UAE the species is particularly threatened by disturbance (which has been noted as a global threat for the species [see Ogilvie and Ogilvie 1986]), egg collection, habitat destruction;(Aspinall 1996), and development; and indeed one former potential breeding site (Al Ghar lakes) had been infilled (Aspinall 1996).Predator presence in the area around the Al Wathba breeding colony in 2016 caused disturbance throughout the breeding period (Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi 2016), and predators (e.g. foxes) cause disturbance at non-breeding sites as well.Other threats identified at the global level that could have an impact on the species outside of UAE, affecting individuals that visit the country, are mortality from lead poisoning (lead shot ingestion) (Mateo et al. 1998, Miltiadou 2005), collisions with fences and powerlines (Hockey et al. 2005), and from diseases such as tuberculosis, septicemia (Nasirwa 2000) and avian botulism (van Heerden 1974).