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• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	resident	1991	2-5 breeding pairs	B2
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	winter	1991	2,000-3,000 individuals	A4i
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	passage	1991	20,000 individuals	A4i
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	winter	1991	5-10 individuals	A1, A4i
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes	n/a	passage	1991	20,000 individuals	A4iv, B1iv

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1994) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1994. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

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	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Pasture land, Plantations, Rural gardens, Urban areas	major (>10)
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	Ponds, Water-storage areas	minor (<10)
Grassland	Temperate	minor (<10)
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)		minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Freshwater springs & oases, Geothermal, Permanent freshwater marshes & pools, Permanent rivers, streams & creeks, Seasonal & intermittent freshwater marshes & pools, Seasonal/intermitt salt/brackish/alkali marsh/pool, Seasonal/intermittent/irregular river/stream/creek	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	27
agriculture	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
military	major (>10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Golan Heights (Syria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/golan-heights-iba-syria on 23/11/2024.