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close| Location | Syria, Quneitra |
| Central coordinates | 35o 45.00' East 33o 0.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, A4iv |
| Area | 60,000 ha |
| Altitude | 550 - 1,500m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See box for key species. The region holds good numbers of breeding raptors, with the plateau area around Nahal Gamla, Zavitan and Yehudiya being especially important. Ducks often winter in good numbers, mainly Anas penelope, Aythya ferina and A. fuligula. Stream valleys flowing from the southern Golan into Lake Kinneret were the last refuge of Ketupa zeylonensis in this area, now apparently extinct.
Site description An upland region east of the Hula Valley and Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), ascending to 1,500 m and roughly bounded by Hamat-Gader, Ramat Magshimim, Alonei Habashan, Kuneitra, El Rom and Kazrin. The area is typified by rolling grassland with scattered trees and bushes of Quercus, Styrax, Pistacia, Rubus and Ziziphus, and there are some small pools and reservoirs. Much of the area is cultivated or grazed by cattle, and there is considerable military activity.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris | resident | 1991 | 2-5 breeding pairs | good | A4i | Vulnerable |
| White Stork Ciconia ciconia | passage | 1991 | 20,000 individuals | good | A4i | Least Concern |
| Common Crane Grus grus | winter | 1991 | 2,000-3,000 individuals | good | A4i | Least Concern |
| Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius | winter | 1991 | 5-10 individuals | good | A1, A4i | Critically Endangered |
| A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes | passage | 1991 | 20,000 individuals | good | A4iv |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | major | |
| Grassland | minor | |
| Rocky areas | minor | |
| Artificial landscapes (aquatic) | minor | |
| Wetlands (inland) | minor |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | major |
| rangeland/pastureland | major |
| military | major |
| nature conservation and research | 27% |
Other biodiversity Mammals: Spalax ehrenbergi (2n=54), Canis lupus (V), Gazella gazella (V). Reptiles: Elaphe quatuorlineata (endemic). Flora: Phlomis syriaca, Colchicum brachyllum.
Management considerations All the important sites for birds are treated as Nature Reserves by Israel. The Israeli military administration cooperates with Israeli nature-conservation agencies to prevent damage to bird populations, especially of raptors.
References Bahat (1986), Geller (1983), Schluter (1987).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Golan Heights. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013
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