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The site was identified as important in 2012 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Chukar Alectoris chukar	LC	breeding	2005-2011	1,500-2,500 breeding pairs	B2
Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus	LC	breeding	2005-2011	250-1,000 breeding pairs	B2
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding	2005-2011	150-250 breeding pairs	C6
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo	LC	passage	2005-2011	100-500 individuals	B1i, C3
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	passage	2005-2011	300-1,000 individuals	B1i, C2
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	passage	2005-2011	500-1,000 individuals	B1i, C2
Little Owl Athene noctua	LC	breeding	2005-2011	400-700 breeding pairs	B2
Cyprus Scops-owl Otus cyprius	LC	breeding	2005-2011	300-700 breeding pairs	B2
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata	LC	breeding	2005-2011	1-3 breeding pairs	B2, C6
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	breeding	2005-2011	80-300 breeding pairs	A1, B2, C1, C6
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	passage	2005-2011	200-800 individuals	A1, C1
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	breeding	2005-2011	6-8 breeding pairs	C6
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus	LC	breeding	2005-2011	100-200 breeding pairs	A3, B2
Cyprus Warbler Curruca melanothorax	LC	breeding	2005-2011	500-1,000 breeding pairs	A3, B3
Sardinian Warbler Curruca melanocephala	LC	breeding	2005-2011	5,000-10,000 breeding pairs	A3
Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca	LC	breeding	2005-2011	1,000-1,500 breeding pairs	A3, B3
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala	LC	breeding	2005-2011	400-900 breeding pairs	A3, B2
Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza caesia	LC	breeding	2005-2011	400-1,000 breeding pairs	A3, B3, C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2012) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2012. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	very high
Energy production and mining	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Not assessed	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1989	Lara-Toxeftra	Παραλία Ωοτοκίας Χελώνων	<1
2000	Periochi Skoulli	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
2008	Zoni Eidikis Prostasias Chersonisos Akama	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	49
2008	Farangia Agias Aikaterinis - Agias Paraskevis	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	6
2009	Chersonisos Akama	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	48
2013	Lara-Toxeftra Turtle Reserve	Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (Barcelona Convention)	1
2014	Akamas Peninsula	Περιοχές Εξαιρετικής Φυσικής Καλλονής	48
2014	Akamas Peninsula	Ακτές και Περιοχές Προστασίας της Φύσης	49
2014	Faraggi Androlikou, Kranasi kai Ambelakia	Προστατευόμενα Τοπία	2
2014	Vrahoi Inias	Προστατευόμενα Τοπία	<1
2014	Geomorfomata Kathika	Προστατευόμενα Τοπία	<1
2014	Faraggi Kardamilli	Προστατευόμενα Τοπία	<1
2014	Faraggi Petrati	Προστατευόμενα Τοπία	<1
2016	Akamas	Εθνικό Δασικό Πάρκο	37

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Perennial crops, orchards and groves, Arable land, Other urban and industrial areas	38
Shrubland	Scrub, Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis	35
Forest	Native coniferous woodland	13
Grassland		12
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		1
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)		1

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	40
forestry	25
military	20
tourism/recreation	10
nature conservation and research	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Akamas and Agia Aikaterini – Agia Paraskevi Gorges (Cyprus). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/akamas-and-agia-aikaterini-–-agia-paraskevi-gorges-iba-cyprus on 22/11/2024.