Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The site includes the Vardar gorge, Celevecka river and Krastavec ridge with cliffs and rocky hillsides, scrub, and woodland; there are also small areas of marsh, damp woodland, and some steppe habitat in the Vardar valley. Mainly inaccessible, some of the area is used as agricultural land, while hunting and cattle-grazing take place.
Breeding species include
Ciconia nigra (1-2 pairs),
Pernis apivorus (1-2 pairs),
Milvus migrans (2-3 pairs),
Circaetus gallicus (2 pairs),
Accipiter brevipes (1 pair),
Buteo rufinus (1 pair),
Aquila chrysaetos (2 pairs),
Hieraaetus pennatus (1 pair),
Falco biarmicus (1-2 pairs),
F. peregrinus (1 pair),
Alectoris graeca,
Bubo bubo (1-2 pairs),
Coracias garrulus (3-4 pairs) and
Cercotrichas galactotes.
Gypaetus barbatus,
Aegypius monachus and
Falco cherrug also occur.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Hunting, theft of raptor eggs and young by foreigners, road and quarry building, and cutting of trees and bushes are problems at the site. Illegal poisoning and trapping of wildlife probably also occurs. The area is a proposed Ornithological Reserve.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Demir Kapija Gorge (North Macedonia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/demir-kapija-gorge-iba-north-macedonia on 23/12/2024.
