SY023
Mount Hermon


IBA Justification

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
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus LC breeding 1993 present A3
Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris LC resident 1993 present A3
Upcher's Warbler Hippolais languida LC breeding 1991 present A3
Sardinian Warbler Curruca melanocephala LC resident 1993 present A3
Spectacled Warbler Curruca conspicillata LC resident 1993 present A3
Western Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer LC resident 1993 present A3
White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis LC breeding 1991 present A3
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica LC breeding 1993 present A3
Finsch's Wheatear Oenanthe finschii LC breeding 1991 1-4 breeding pairs A3
Pale Sparrow Carpospiza brachydactyla LC breeding 1991 10-30 breeding pairs A3
Eurasian Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguineus LC resident 1991 15-20 breeding pairs B3
Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus VU breeding 1991 50-70 breeding pairs A1, A2, A3
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala LC breeding 1993 present A3
Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza caesia LC breeding 1993 present A3

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


IBA Conservation

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.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2014 not assessed high low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes unset unknown

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification likely in long term (beyond 4 years) whole area/population (>90%) moderate to rapid deterioration high
Human intrusions and disturbance likely in long term (beyond 4 years) whole area/population (>90%) moderate to rapid deterioration high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas Management plan Other action Result
Some of site covered (10-49%) No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun Some limited conservation initiatives are in place low

Habitats

Habitat1 Habitat detail % of IBA
Forest 30
Grassland 30
Shrubland Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation 20
Artificial/Terrestrial 10
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) 10
1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use

Land use % of IBA
nature conservation and research 67
tourism/recreation major (>10)
military major (>10)
agriculture minor (<10)


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Hermon (Syria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-hermon-iba-syria on 23/11/2024.