Data Zone
Country/territory: Cyprus
IBA criteria met: A2, B2, B3, C2, C6 (2012)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 64,185 hectares (641.85 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site summary
A relatively remote and un-spoilt mountain site at the western end of the Troodos range and with peaks rising to 1,352m, ‘Pafos Forest’ IBA is the largest and one of the most important IBAs in Cyprus. This site hosts the biggest breeding populations of all nine of the IBA qualifying species that are largely confined to
forest sites, namely Cyprus Wheatear (Oenanthe cypriaca), Cyprus Coal Tit (Parus ater cypriotes), Cyprus Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla dorothea), Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus scops cyprius), Cretzschmar’s Bunting (Emberiza caesia), Woodlark (Lullula arborea), European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus) and Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata). The site is an Endemic Bird Area, hosting a large population of Cyprus Warbler (Sylvia melanothorax). In addition to this impressive list of qualifying species, the site is among the few sites with breeding Blackbirds (Turdus merula) and Crag Martins (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) in Cyprus. It is also important for other rare breeding species such as Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) and is the only site where Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) has been recorde breeding in Cyprus.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pafos Forest (Cyprus). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pafos-forest-iba-cyprus on 23/12/2024.