Migrating Soaring Birds in the Middle East and North Africa
 BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria
Thousands of birds such as these White Storks are hunted each year as they pass through the region
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Protecting key 'bottlenecks' for soaring migratory birds in the eastern sector of the Africa-Eurasia flyway.
Migrating soaring birds
Migratory birds are among the most remarkable components of global biodiversity. Their seasonal migrations, often many thousands of miles long, appeal to man's imagination and create wonder, awe and a sense of mystery.
Managing and protecting migratory bird populations is particularly challenging. This is because of the vast range of habitats they occupy during the course of their seasonal cycle and the need to undertake work in very different ecological and political conditions in the breeding grounds, in the wintering areas as well as along the migratory routes.
Soaring migrants use a system of ascent on thermals of hot air, and then under-going long, shallow, downward glides. This method, which cannot be used over large water bodies or high mountains, limits the migratory routes, resulting in patterns of movement in 'flyways' rather akin to the routes used by long-haul airliners. This concentration makes soaring migrants very vulnerable. This project focuses on the eastern sector of the Africa-Eurasia Flyway (Rift Valley and Red Sea Flyways), which is possibly the most significant corridor for bird migration in the world.
Threats to soaring birds
Several parts of the region are undergoing a period of rapid development, much of which is having an impact on the coastlines and adjacent desert areas. Many coastal regions were until the recent past undeveloped arid lands with small settlements and low numbers of indigenous inhabitants. The development activities in coastal areas, in their adjacent desert and marine environments as well as in the Jordan Rift Valley, are known to be having impacts on migratory birds. Expanding urban, industrial and tourism development is creating hazards to birds in areas where no previous threats existed. These threats include direct threats from the development activities or related infrastructure, direct destruction of habitats, pollutant contamination and the construction of power lines or similar infrastructure works.
Project objectives
The project sets out to achieve improved conservation status of a number of key sites, which are of global biodiversity significance because of the presence of high numbers of globally threatened soaring birds and other biodiversity. These sites have been selected using the 'bottleneck' criteria, as defined by BirdLife International. None of these sites can be seen in isolation, because they are critically linked being 'bottlenecks' for soaring migratory birds situated on the migratory corridor (or flyway) connecting the breeding and wintering grounds of these species. Only a concerted approach to ensuring conservation at those key sites across the entire flyway can result in improved conservation status of the population of these birds and their habitats.
The overall objectives of the project is that "Globally threatened and significant populations of migrating soaring birds are effectively protected at a network of key bottleneck IBAs along the eastern sector of the Africa-Eurasia flyway (Rift Valley and Red Sea Flyway), thereby ensuring their safe passage between breeding and non-breeding grounds." Project components will address policy, planning and legislation; awareness and constituency building; sustainable management and socio-economic development; co-ordination, co-operation and communication; and capacity development.
What the project is doing
The project seeks to achieve its objective by removal or reduction of the threats that have been identified at the selected bottleneck IBAs and by addressing the root causes that are at the origin of the threats. Each site will have a unique set of threats and root causes, requiring a specific response to reach the desired improvement in conservation and protection. Some of these are really local in nature and need to be addressed at that level. Others may be national or even regional in nature and would require action most effectively taken at those levels. The BirdLife network in the Africa and Middle East regions covered by this project have embarked on a programme of survey, data collection, consultation, network-building and analysis in order to identify an appropriate cross-regional strategy and programme of site-specific actions needed to reduce the threats to birds using this flyway. The programme aims to integrate conservation needs with the need for economic and social development at local and national level.
(pic Griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus, by L Andreev/BirdLife Bulgaria)
Project partners
The project is being Executed by BirdLife International (co-ordinated through the Site Action Unit), in Partnership with national NGO partners and government agencies in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The project is currently in a development phase that is funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Bank.