GR179
Lefka Ori mountains, Crete


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important in 2000 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):
Species Current IUCN Red List Category Season Year(s) Population estimate at site IBA criteria met
Chukar Alectoris chukar LC resident 1996 abundant B2
Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus NT resident 1996 2 breeding pairs B2
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos LC resident 1996 4 breeding pairs B2, C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus LC resident 1996 frequent C6
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax LC resident 1996 common B2, C6

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2000).


IBA Protection

Protected area (PA) PA designation PA area (ha) Relationship of PA with IBA Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Thalassia periochi Dytikis kai notiodytikis Kritis Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 163,686 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Stylou - Katochoriou Game Refuge 1,050 unknown 0
Samaria Ethnikos Drymos (pirinas) 4,752 protected area contained by site 4,850
Samaria Biogenetic Reserves 4,850 protected area contained by site 4,850
Prostateftiko dasos oreinou ogkou Lefkon Oreon nomou Chanion Prostatevomeno dasos 38,835 protected area contained by site 0
Ormos Sougias - Vardia - Farangi Lissou Mechri Anydrous Kai Paraktia Zoni Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 3,060 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Lefka Ori Kai Paraktia Zoni Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 55,847 protected area overlaps with site 53,364
Lefka Ori Anatolikou Selinou kai Sfakion Katafygio Agrias Zois 7,585 protected area overlaps with site 0
Gorge of Samaria National Park UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 4,850 protected area contained by site 4,840
Fre - Tzitzifes - Nipos Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 1,193 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Ethnikos Drymos Samarias - Farangi Trypitis - Psilafi - Koustogerako Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) 13,974 protected area contained by site 13,980

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Native coniferous woodland -
Shrubland Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis -
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland -
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) Scree & boulders, Inland cliffs -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
tourism/recreation -
water management -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lefka Ori mountains, Crete. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lefka-ori-mountains-crete-iba-greece on 22/09/2023.