Taxon name
Bubo africanus
(Temminck, 1821)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Bubo africanus
(Temminck, 1821)
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Birds
Species authority
(Temminck, 1821)
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Bubo africanus and B. cinerascens (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as B. africanus following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).
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)
D
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species has a very small resident population, which would qualify it for listing as Critically Endangered. However, on one hand, the species has probably colonised the country from Oman (although it is tentatively suspected that the species was in the country prior to 1996), and there remains large potential of immigration into the UAE across the border. On the other hand, the species has only recently been discovered in the UAE, which suggests that it is highly restricted in the country. It has been tentatively decided, though, to regionally adjust the species's category, dropping it down one category. It is therefore classified here as Endangered in the UAE.
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 rare, inconspicuous resident of the Hajar Mountains in northern UAE. It was first recorded in November 2017 and by May 2018, ten territories had been confirmed (Pedersen et al. 2017). Further records include a juvenile donated to the Dubai Zoo in 2003, which was caught in the Dibba Mountains in Fujairah Emirate (R. Khan per Pedersen et al. 2017) and an undated photograph of an adult in the Hatta Mountains in Dubai Emirate (K. Al Dhaheri per Pedersen et al. 2017).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
There is no information available about the species's ecology and habitat requirements in the UAE; the following information comes from elsewhere in Arabia and Africa, but likely also applies to the population in the UAE. The species inhabits well-vegetated, wooded wadis and is often found near human sites (Jennings 2010). It feeds mainly on invertebrates like beetles, mantids and grasshoppers, but likely takes also small birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, molluscs and crustaceans, which are captured by pouncing from perches or searching on the ground (Jennings 2010). The species is entirely nocturnal; during the day it retreats to rocks, bushes and palm trees (Jennings 2010). Pairs remain together for life (Jennings 2010). The breeding period lasts from March to June or July (Jennings 2010). Nests are placed in scrapes on the ground, in crevices in rocks or cliffs, or in holes in a tree or building (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain two to four eggs (Jennings 2010).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Given how recently the species has been discovered in UAE it is difficult to assess the threats to this species, although given that one was captured and donated to the Dubai Zoo in 2003 (R. Khan;per;Pedersen;et al. 2017);this could represent a very minor threat. Otherwise threats may be similar as for B. ascalaphus, namely persecution to discourage nesting near human habitation (Aspinall 1996), and collisions with vehicles and powerlines (Aspinall 1996). However, further work is required to get a better view of the species's threats within UAE.
History
It is assessed that in 1996, the national Red List status of this species would have been the same as in this assessment.
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
