Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information There is a healthy breeding population of Syrian Serins and several other globally-threatened species have been recorded here on migration. Thirteen breeding Biome-restricted Species breed here: Tawny Owl Strix aluco, Masked Shrike, Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris, Upcher’s Warbler,Sardinian Warbler, Western Rock Nuthatch, White-throated Robin, Black-eared Wheatear,Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschii, Pale Rockfinch, Syrian Serin, Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanquineus and Black-headed Bunting as well as very healthy populations of many commoner species. Although there is apparently little soaring bird migration in the spring, the site is more important in the autumn when large flocks of White Stork, White Pelican, Levant Sparrowhawk and Common Crane have been seen passing over.

Site description Located at the northern extremity of the Mount Lebanon range, The Upper Mountains of Akkar-Donnieh IBA is made up of four adjoining sites: Qammouaa, Fnaideq, Mechmech and Wadi Jouhanam

Populations of IBA trigger species

Habitats

Management considerations Although there is currently no formal protection the site is part of a proposed new national park and various awareness-raising campaigns have been carried out to try to encourage interest in environmental protection among the local populace, who are mostly very poor. As well as the ubiquitous hunting, problems include deforestation and high levels of grazing which together have led to soil erosion in some parts of the area.

Conservation response Also, the proposed IBA is located in North Lebanon and falls in the heart of a projected 220 km² National Park acknowledged for its rich biodiversity and the old vegetation varieties it harbours. This area is listed at the top of priority sites designated for protection in the global framework of the Lebanese National Master Plan for Land Use Management (2004), the National Biodiversity Country Study in Lebanon (UNDP and MoA, 1996), the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (1998) and the National Action Plan to combat desertification (2003). The organisation MADA– a Lebanese conservation NGO – is already carrying out a major project entitled “Setting the path towards the establishment of a national Park in North Lebanon and the promotion and support of ecotourism” working towards the realization of the national park and the conservation of the site with the local community.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Upper Mountains of Akkar-Donnieh. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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