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The site was identified as important in 2000 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
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca	NT	resident	1996	70-110 breeding pairs	B2
Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix	LC	resident	1996	120-200 breeding pairs	B2
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla	LC	breeding	1996	20-30 breeding pairs	B2
Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis	LC	resident	1996	50-150 breeding pairs	B2
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus	LC	resident	1996	200-300 breeding pairs	A3
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria	LC	resident	1996	present	A3
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus	LC	breeding	1996	200-400 breeding pairs	B3
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush Monticola saxatilis	LC	breeding	1996	20 breeding pairs	B2
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris	LC	resident	1996	150-250 breeding pairs	A3
White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis	LC	resident	1996	100-250 breeding pairs	A3
Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella	LC	breeding	1996	100-200 breeding pairs	A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2000) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2000. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1991	Simplonpass/Hopschusee	Bundesinventar der Hoch- und Übergangsmoore von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
1998	Laggintal-Zwischbergental	Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance	58
2010	Chatzhalte	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Engi	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Balma	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Heji	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Sal	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Hubelti	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Guggina	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Wyssus Löüb	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Alti Gadme	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Bord	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Cheller	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1
2010	Altes Hospiz	Bundesinventar der Trockenwiesen und -weiden von nationaler Bedeutung	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Inland cliffs, Scree & boulders	62
Grassland	Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland	17
Forest	Native coniferous woodland, Mixed woodland, Treeline ecotone	15
Artificial/Terrestrial	Urban parks and gardens, Other urban and industrial areas	1
Wetlands (inland)	Raised bogs, Rivers and streams, Standing freshwater	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	17
urban/industrial/transport	1
forestry	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Simplon region (Switzerland). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/simplon-region-iba-switzerland on 22/11/2024.