Oena capensis | UAE National Red List of Birds

Taxa
Oena capensis | (Linnaeus, 1766)
Publication
UAE National Red List of Birds
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Birds
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species is resident in the UAE. The majority of the population occurs in western Abu Dhabi Emirate (Pedersen et al. 2017). The species was first recorded in the Asab Oilfield in the Arabian Gulf northwest of Abu Dhabi Islands in 1988; breeding was confirmed in 1997 in the Ghiyathi region in western Abu Dhabi Emirate (Pedersen et al. 2017), although it was potentially breeding before this (but it would have been in tiny numbers).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species inhabits dry acacia scrubland, savanna and semi-desert, and is also found in cultivated land, dry weedy areas and animal enclosures (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available on its diet in the UAE; elsewhere it takes mainly seeds and occasionally insects (Jennings 2010). The breeding period lasts from March to September. The nest is a shallow cup made of twigs and rootlets, lined with soft material like grass, and placed in a bush low above the ground. Clutches contain two eggs (Jennings 2010).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Vulnerable
Assessment status abreviation
VU
Assessment status criteria
D1
Assessment rationale/justification
This species has a very small resident population in the UAE, which might qualify it for listing as Endangered. However, the species is increasing within the country and expanding its range. Moreover, as the breeding population of the Arabian Peninsula seems to be increasing as well, there is high potential for immigration. Therefore, the species's status has adjusted down one category and is listed as Vulnerable at the national level.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
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.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
The species is not thought to face any significant threats. Artificial habitats that favour this species within the UAE may be transient, so monitoring of such habitats will be important.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
This species would have had a tiny colonising population within UAE in 1996, which would have undergone a regional adjustment to Endangered. The population size has continued to increase, and now (following regional adjustment) the species is listed as Vulnerable. Its increase could potentially be a result of changes to water management.
Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Oena capensis Animalia Chordata Aves Columbiformes Columbidae Oena