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IL010
Northern lower Jordan valley
Location Israel
Central coordinates 35o 33.00' East  32o 25.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iv, B1i, B1iv, B2, B3
Area 7,000 ha
Altitude
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel



Ornithological information Kefar Ruppin is an important breeding site for herons and egrets. Other notable wintering species include Circus aeruginosus (10-13) and during migration this species is also common (daily max. 75).

Site description The Jordan valley from Lake Kinneret to Tirat Zvi, west of the Jordan river. The highest point of the site is 209 m below sea-level. Most of the area is cultivated fields, date-palm plantations and fish-ponds. Fish-ponds are mainly located near Kefar Ruppin (c.3 km north-east of Tirat Zvi), Afikim and Bet Zera.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Black Stork Ciconia nigra passage  1991  5,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black Stork Ciconia nigra winter  1991  50-100 individuals  good  B1i  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia passage  1991  200,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1991  380-400 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis resident  1991  500-600 breeding pairs  unknown  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1991  480-510 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus passage  1991  12,000 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes passage  1991  15,000 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola passage  1991  250 individuals  unknown  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni passage  1991  200 individuals  poor  A1, B2  Near Threatened 
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus breeding  1991  100-125 breeding pairs  good  B3  Least Concern 
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes passage  1991  232,000 individuals  good  A4iv, B1iv   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Ge'on HaYarden HaHof Hashaqet Nature Reserve 67 protected area contained by site 67  
Ge'on HaYarden Hamadya Nature Reserve 53 protected area contained by site 53  
Ge'on HaYarden Kefar Ruppin Nature Reserve 11 protected area contained by site 11  
Ge'on HaYarden Mao'z Hayyim Nature Reserve 53 protected area contained by site 53  
Horshat Zaqum (Kefar Ruppin) Nature Reserve 4 protected area contained by site 4  

Habitats

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

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture major
fisheries/aquaculture minor
nature conservation and research 4%
rangeland/pastureland minor
military -

Other biodiversity Mammals: Caracal caracal (rare).

Management considerations A few of the sites of ornithological interest are protected as Nature Reserves. The Kefar Ruppin fish-ponds (c.260 ha) are protected partly by the Nature Reserves Authority but mainly by cooperation between the operators and the Israel Ornithological Center. There are local threats from agricultural intensification, grazing and military activity.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Northern lower Jordan valley. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013

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