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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') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca	NT	resident	1996	25-40 breeding pairs	B2
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus	LC	resident	1996	100-200 breeding pairs	A3
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria	LC	resident	1996	present	A3
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush Monticola saxatilis	LC	breeding	1996	5-30 breeding pairs	B2
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris	LC	resident	1996	30 breeding pairs	A3
White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis	LC	resident	1996	20-30 breeding pairs	A3
Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella	LC	breeding	1996	40-100 breeding pairs	A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2000) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2000. The most recent assessment (2011) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	negligible

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1983	Berner Hochalpen und Aletsch - Bietschhorn - Gebiet	Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance	24
1991	Aletschwald	Bundesinventar der Hoch- und Übergangsmoore von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
1991	Flesch	Bundesinventar der Hoch- und Übergangsmoore von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
1992	Aletschwald	Bundesinventar der eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebiete	31
2001	Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	15
2001	Chiebodenstafel	Bundesinventar der Amphibienlaichgebiete von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2001	Bettmeralp	Bundesinventar der Amphibienlaichgebiete von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Hegi	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Wyde	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Schipfe	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Bisterli	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Meiggera	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Egga	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Obers Filet	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Flesche	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Fure	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Obers Nussböüm	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2017	Halte	Federal Inventory of Dry Grasslands and Pastures of National Importance	<1
2017	Martisbergeralp	Federal Inventory of Dry Grasslands and Pastures of National Importance	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland	34
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Inland cliffs, Scree & boulders	31
Forest	Native coniferous woodland, Treeline ecotone	28
Artificial/Terrestrial	Urban parks and gardens, Other urban and industrial areas	2
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams, Standing freshwater	1

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	34
urban/industrial/transport	2
forestry	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Aletsch region (Switzerland). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/aletsch-region-iba-switzerland on 22/11/2024.