Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The site is situated in the extreme north-west of Tunisia, 49 km north-west of Jendouba and 17 km north-west of Ghardimaou. El Feidja National Park represents the best-preserved area of mountainous Mediterranean sclerophyllous forest in the Khroumirie. The vegetation is dominated by oak forests of
Quercus suber and
Q. canariensis and Mediterranean maquis shrubland, with
Cistus monspeliensis,
Erica arborea,
Myrtus communis and
Arbutus unedo. The flora is very rich; more than 700 plant species have been recorded. There are several springs and watercourses in the park. Annual rainfall varies between 1,200 mm and 2,000 mm and snow is recorded almost annually.
See Box and Table 2 for key species. Over 70 bird species have been recorded. Several typical bird species are Palearctic species at the southern limits of their distribution in Tunisia:
Columba palumbus,
Dendrocopos major,
D. minor,
Picus vaillantii,
Turdus viscivorus,
Erithacus rubecula,
Certhia brachydactyla,
Coccothraustes coccothraustes and
Garrulus glandarius cervicalis. Of the many raptors that occur,
Hieraaetus pennatus,
Milvus migrans,
Circaetus gallicus,
Accipiter nisus,
Falco tinnunculus and
F. subbuteo breed regularly.
Scolopax rusticola also occurs.
Non-bird biodiversity: Some 417 ha of the park are set aside as a special protected reserve for the deer Cervus elaphus barbarus (LR/nt).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
El Feidja was declared a National Park in 1990. Human disturbance and fire are the main threats.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: El Feidja (Tunisia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/el-feidja-iba-tunisia on 23/11/2024.
