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IL004
Zevulun valley
Location Israel
Central coordinates 35o 6.00' East  32o 53.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Area 5,000 ha
Altitude 110 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel



Ornithological information See box for key species. Ein Afeq is an important winter roosting site for Phalacrocorax pygmeus and holds some breeding herons and egrets. Mishmar Hayam (12 ha), just south of Akko, is a small site with a grove of trees important for many breeding herons and egrets and the largest colony of Plegadis falcinellus in Israel. Up to 65 Circus aeruginosus and 22 Aquila clanga have been present in winter.

Site description An area of the coastal plain north of Haifa, largely developed or agricultural, with fish-ponds and some other small wetlands including the marsh at Ein Afeq (66 ha) c.8 km south of Akko.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata winter  1991  5,500 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala winter  1991  80-150 individuals  good  A1, B1i, B2  Endangered 
Black Stork Ciconia nigra passage  1991  350-500 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Black Stork Ciconia nigra winter  1991  125-150 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia passage  1991  18,500 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus passage  1991  1,500-2,000 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1991  275-300 breeding pairs  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis resident  1991  280-325 breeding pairs  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus winter  1991  650-850 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1991  250-275 breeding pairs  unknown  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus passage  1991  37,000 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1991  92 individuals  good  A1, B2  Least Concern 
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga winter  1992  22 individuals  good  A1, B2  Vulnerable 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  1991  200-300 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus winter  1991  1,434 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius winter  1991  21 individuals  good  A1, B2  Critically Endangered 
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni passage  1991  50-350 individuals  good  A1, B2  Near Threatened 
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans winter  1991  3,500-5,000 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
En Afeq Nature Reserve 66 protected area contained by site 66  
En Afeq Nature Reserve Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 66 protected area contained by site 66  
Zevulun Valley Nature Reserve 6 protected area contained by site 6  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   major
Wetlands (inland)   minor
Artificial landscapes (aquatic)   minor

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
urban/industrial/transport major
agriculture major
fisheries/aquaculture minor
nature conservation and research 1%

Other biodiversity Reptiles: Chalcides guentheri. Flora: Salsola soda.

Management considerations Ein Afeq (66 ha) is a Nature Reserve, and the Nature Reserves Authority has proposed the same status for Karei-Na’aman (50 ha, swamp and marsh) and Mishmar Hayam (12 ha), which are both threatened by industrial development. Additionally there is a small Nature Reserve (6 ha) with a spring and rare plant species.

References Blitzblau (1990b, 1991).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Zevulun valley. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife