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SK027
Bukovské hills
Location Slovakia, Prešov
Central coordinates 22o 21.47' East  49o 2.04' North
IBA criteria A1, B2, B3
Area 43,320 ha
Altitude 200 - 1,210m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Slovak Ornithological Society / BirdLife Slovakia



Ornithological information An important site for breeding species of forest, meadow grassland and upland pasture. Ciconia nigra, Alcedo atthis and Lanius excubitor also breed.

Site description A mountainous area situated near to the Ukrainian and Polish borders, forming a biogeographical frontier between the Eastern and Western Carpathians. Forest communities of Fagus, Abies and, at higher altitudes, Acer predominate, interspersed with pasture and meadow. Mountain grasslands (poloninas) occur above the treeline and Alnus covers river and stream banks. Human activities include cereal- and potato-growing, cattle-grazing and management of the Starina water reservoir.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus breeding  1997  20-25 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina breeding  1997  25 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Corncrake Crex crex breeding  1996  200-250 breeding pairs  medium  A1, B2  Least Concern 
Stock Dove Columba oenas breeding  1997  1,000-1,200 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus breeding  1997  150-200 breeding pairs  poor  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla breeding  1997  300-400 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Grey-faced Woodpecker Picus canus resident  1997  500-600 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio breeding  1997  2,000-3,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis breeding  1997  200-300 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix breeding  1997  3,000-4,000 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria breeding  1997  150-300 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus breeding  1996  250-300 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus breeding  1996  500-800 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus breeding  1997  300-400 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis breeding  1997  3,000-3,500 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Bahno Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 3 protected area contained by site 3  
Beskýd - SKUEV0229 Habitats Directive 29,215 protected area contained by site 29,215  
Beskyd - SKUEV0387 Habitats Directive 5,415 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Borsuciny Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 84 protected area contained by site 84  
Bukovské vrchy - SKCHVU002 Birds Directive 43,235 is identical to site 42,579  
Bzana Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 15 protected area contained by site 15  
East Carpathian (SVK) UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 40,778 protected area contained by site 40,100  
Gazdoran Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 17 protected area contained by site 17  
Havesova National Nature Reserve 171 protected area contained by site 171  
Hlboke Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 2 protected area contained by site 2  
Hrunok Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 5 protected area contained by site 5  
Laborecká vrchovina - SKCHVU011 Birds Directive 107,716 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Ostra skala Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 18 protected area contained by site 25  
Pþasa National Nature Reserve 111 protected area contained by site 111  
Pod Ruskym Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 11 protected area contained by site 11  
Poloniny National Park 29,805 protected area contained by site 29,805  
Riaba skala National Nature Reserve 360 protected area contained by site 360  
Ro_ok National Nature Reserve 67 protected area contained by site 67  
Ruske Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 1 protected area contained by site 1  
Sipkova Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 156 protected area contained by site 156  
Stinska National Nature Reserve 91 protected area contained by site 91  
Stinska slatina Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 3 protected area contained by site 3  
Stinská - SKUEV0210 Habitats Directive 1,533 protected area overlaps with site 1,354  
Struznicka dolina Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 2 protected area contained by site 2  
Stu_ica National Nature Reserve 761 protected area contained by site 761  
Ublianka - SKUEV0063 Habitats Directive 45 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Udava Nature Reserve / Private Nature Reserve 52 protected area contained by site 52  
Ulièka Natural Monument 7 protected area contained by site 7  
Ulièka - SKUEV0234 Habitats Directive 102 protected area contained by site 102  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland; Native coniferous woodland; Treeline ecotone  80%
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Humid grasslands; Mesophile grasslands  15%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Forestry plantations; Other urban and industrial areas; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Ruderal land  5%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
forestry 75%
water management 5%
nature conservation and research 5%
hunting 90%
tourism/recreation 15%

Management considerations Threats include vegetation succession following land abandonment, tree-planting in the reservoir buffer zone, spring burning of village grassland, large-scale clear-cutting and logging of timber, the building of new forest roads and increasing transboundary tourism activities. Conservation activities include installing nest-boxes for owls and influencing forestry practices. A management plan exists for the area.

Protection status National Partial International HighThe IBA partially or wholly overlaps with the following national designated areas. National Park: Poloniny. National Nature Reserves: Havešová, P¾aša, Riaba skala, Rožok, Stinská, Stužica. Nature Reserves: Bahno, Borsuèiny, Bzana, Gazdoráò, Hlboké, Hrúnok, Ostrá, Pod Ruským, Ruské, Šípkova, Stinská slatina, Stružnická dolina, Udava. Natural Monument: Ulièka. 40,100 ha of IBA covered by Biosphere Reserve (Východné Karpaty, 40,100 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bukovské hills. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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