Data Zone
Country/territory: Cyprus
IBA criteria met: A1, B1iii, B1iv, B2, C1, C2, C5, C6 (2012)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 2,286 hectares (22.86 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
The flat coastal plain where the Ezousa, Xeros and Diarizos rivers have their deltas is dominated by intensive arable agriculture, but this is nonetheless one of the key migration areas in Cyprus. Pafos Plain is a “bottleneck” site for migrant raptors, with many hundreds coming through, especially in the autumn, with Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and Redfooted Falcon (Falco vespertinus) prominent among these.The Red-footed Falcon is a qualifying species in its own right for this site, with up to 1,000 birds using the area in autumn. The site is also notable as one of the most important breeding areas for Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus). The coastal site is also one of the few breeding sites for the Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) in Cyprus, though numbers are small.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pafos Plain (Cyprus). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pafos-plain-iba-cyprus on 22/12/2024.