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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1994 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	winter (1991)	10 birds	B2
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	passage (1991)	500–50,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	passage (1991)	155–200 birds	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	winter (1991)	10 birds	B2
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	resident (1991)	100–250 pairs	B1i
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	winter (1991)	100–300 birds	B1i
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	passage (1991)	100–150 birds	B1i
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	LC	resident (1991)	500–700 pairs	A4i, B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	passage (1991)	200–1,000 birds	B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	winter (1991)	700–1,000 birds	B1i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	winter (1991)	100–300 birds	B1i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	passage (1991)	25,000–30,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage (1991)	300–400 birds	B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (1991)	300 birds	B1i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (1991)	200–300 birds	B1i
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	passage (1991)	20 birds	B2
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	passage (1991)	10,000 birds	B1i
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter (1991)	20,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	passage (1991)	8,000–10,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	LC	winter (1991)	15,000–17,000 birds	A4i, B1i
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1991)	240–250 pairs	B1i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	passage (1991)	1,000–2,500 birds	A4i, B1i
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus	LC	passage (1991)	1,000–3,500 birds	B1i
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes	n/a	passage (1991)	25,500–80,000 birds	A4iv, B1iv

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1994. The most recent assessment (2013) 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 popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%)	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Dor-Habonim	Specially Protected Area of Marine Importance (Barcelona Convention) (-)	5
-	Ma'agan Michael	Specially Protected Area of Marine Importance (Barcelona Convention) (-)	<1
-	Tanimin River	Specially Protected Area of Marine Importance (Barcelona Convention) (-)	<1
1964	Iyye Hof Dor U-Ma'agan Mikha'el	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1969	Hof Dor HaBonim	Nature Reserve (IV)	2
1969	Berekhat Timsah	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1972	Hof Atlit	Nature Reserve (IV)	2
1980	Yam Dor Ha Bonim	Marine Nature Reserve (IV)	1
1992	Nahal Hatanninim	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	minor (<10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	20
agriculture	major (>10)
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)
fisheries/aquaculture	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Carmel coast (Israel). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/carmel-coast-iba-israel on 23/12/2024.