Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi | LC | resident (1991) | 50 pairs | B3 |
| Common Crane Grus grus | LC | passage (1991) | 250–400 birds | A4i, B1i |
| Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii | VU | resident (1991) | 3 pairs | B2 |
| Black Stork Ciconia nigra | LC | passage (1991) | 200 birds | B1i |
| White Stork Ciconia ciconia | LC | passage (1991) | 8,200–33,400 birds | A4i, B1i, B2 |
| Pallid Scops-owl Otus brucei | LC | winter (1991) | 1–5 birds | B3 |
| Desert Tawny Owl Strix hadorami | LC | resident (1991) | 2–5 pairs | B3 |
| Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus | EN | breeding (1991) | 24 pairs | B2 |
| Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus | LC | resident (1991) | 3 pairs | B2 |
| Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus | LC | winter (1991) | 60–100 birds | B2 |
| Sooty Falcon Falco concolor | VU | breeding (1991) | 20 pairs | B2 |
| Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus | LC | resident (1991) | 3–7 pairs | B2 |
| Arabian Babbler Argya squamiceps | LC | resident (1991) | 7 pairs | B3 |
| Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha | LC | winter (1991) | 4 birds | B3 |
| Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus | LC | resident (1991) | 10 pairs | B2 |
| A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes | n/a | passage (1991) | 36,000 birds | A4iv, B1iv |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Mazuq HaZinnim | Nature Reserve (IV) | 52 |
| 1989 | Har Ha Negev | Nature Reserve (IV) | - |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 98 | |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | 2 | Arable land; Plantations |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | minor (<10) | |
| Wetlands (inland) | minor (<10) | Freshwater springs & oases |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 54 |
| military | major (>10) |
| tourism/recreation | major (>10) |
| rangeland/pastureland | minor (<10) |
| agriculture | minor (<10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cliffs of Zin and the Negev highlands (Israel). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cliffs-of-zin-and-the-negev-highlands-iba-israel on 24/12/2024.