Abstract

The research was conducted in Ghabre Nakhoda, Nedelghar, Dara and Boneh islands in Khore Mosa Ramsar site in the Persian Gulf from May to December 2003 and 2012. Total count method was used to obtain the census of the nests and breeding population of waterbirds on the Islands. Thirty three (34) species of waterbirds were identified, of which eight species were breeders. The maximum breeding population of Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis, Swift Tern sterna bergii, Caspian Tern Sterna caspia, Bridled Terns sterna anaethetus, Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis and Crab Plover Dromas ardeola were 2551, 124, 120, 1310, 23 and 10500 pairs, respectively. Only two pairs of Little Egret Egretta garzetta had been bred in 2003 in the Ghabre Nakhoda. The islands have been identified as an "important bird area" (as a part of Shadeghan marsh) by Birdlife International proposed for protection as a part of the wildlife refuge of Shadeghan and suggested for to be classified as sensitive habitat for breeding seabirds.

Key words: Breeding species, nest number, species diversity, Persian Gulf.