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The site was identified as important in 2010 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
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus	LC	breeding	2005-2009	10-20 males	C6
Eurasian Pygmy-owl Glaucidium passerinum	LC	breeding	2005-2009	25-45 breeding pairs	C6
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus	LC	breeding	2005-2009	15-30 breeding pairs	C6
Ural Owl Strix uralensis	LC	breeding	2005-2009	20-40 breeding pairs	C6
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	breeding	2005-2009	1-2 breeding pairs	C6
Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus	LC	breeding	2004-2009	25-40 breeding pairs	C6
White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos	LC	breeding	2004-2009	20-30 breeding pairs	C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2010) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2010. The most recent assessment (2010) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus	30	25	males	84	near favourable
Eurasian Pygmy-owl Glaucidium passerinum	20	45	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus	15	30	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Ural Owl Strix uralensis	15	40	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	1	2	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Picoides tridactylus	20	30	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Dendrocopos leucotos	15	30	breeding pairs	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	good (> 90%)	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	likely in short term (within 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
No known threats	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1981	Gorczański Park Narodowy	Park Narodowy	96
1997	Południowomałopolski Obszar Chronionego Krajobrazu	Obszar Chronionego Krajobrazu	11
2001	Ostoja Gorczańska	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
2007	Gorce	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	94

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Native coniferous woodland, Mixed woodland	97
Grassland	Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland	3

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	51
tourism/recreation	45
forestry	5
not utilised	5
agriculture	2

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gorce mountains (Poland). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gorce-mountains-iba-poland on 23/11/2024.