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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2002 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
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	breeding (1995)	1–2 pairs	A1
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	breeding (1995)	2–3 pairs	B2
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus	LC	breeding (1995)	5–6 pairs	B2
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding (1995–2006)	10–20 pairs	A1, B2

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2002. The most recent assessment (2006) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	15 / 25 (pairs)	60	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of area covered (10–49%)	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
TV tower crew	2007

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please visit Spotlight on local empowerment.

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	major (>10)	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland; Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	minor (<10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)	Other urban and industrial areas; Arable land
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
agriculture	minor (<10)
hunting	minor (<10)
energy production and mining	minor (<10)
fisheries/aquaculture	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gorayk (Armenia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gorayk-iba-armenia on 25/12/2024.