Houbara bustard habitat

Alluvial plains & sabkha

Plains are a common feature in many parts of the UAE. Around the Hajar Mountains, they occur as wide, flat expanses, covered in coarse rocks and gravels. In other parts of the country, plains are intimately associated with dune systems, forming loosely connected networks of interdunes.

Sabkha, an Arabic term referring to flat, salt-encrusted desert, usually devoid of any significant plant cover, frequently develops on alluvial plains, with groundwater occurring close to the surface. Coastal sabkha also occurs, dominating the coastline from the area of Abu Dhabi Island westward.