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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1994 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi	LC	resident (1991)	present	A3, B3
Garganey Spatula querquedula	LC	passage (1991)	10,000 individuals	B1i
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii	LC	resident (1993)	present	A3
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage (1991)	500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black Stork Ciconia nigra	LC	passage (1991)	3,771 individuals	B1i
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	passage (1991)	11,000 individuals	B1i
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	LC	passage (1991)	1,000 individuals	B1i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	passage (1991)	5,850 individuals	B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	passage (1991)	300 individuals	B1i
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage (1977)	1 individuals	A1, A4i
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	LC	passage (1991)	500 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	passage (1991)	5–80 individuals	A1, B2
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus	LC	non-breeding (1991)	1–80 individuals	A1, B2
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus	LC	passage (1991)	50,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Pallid Scops-owl Otus brucei	LC	winter (1991)	3 individuals	B3
Desert Tawny Owl Strix hadorami	LC	resident (1991)	4–10 breeding pairs	A3, B3
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus	LC	passage (1977–1988)	363,200–851,598 individuals	B2
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus	EN	passage (1977–1988)	428–802 individuals	B2
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	passage (1977–1988)	64–90 individuals	A1, B2
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	winter (1991)	1–2 individuals	B2
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes	LC	passage (1977–1988)	16,280–49,836 individuals	B2
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	passage (1977–1988)	22 individuals	A1, B2
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor	VU	breeding (1991)	5–10 breeding pairs	A3, B2
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus	LC	resident (1991)	1 breeding pairs	B2
Arabian Lark Eremalauda eremodites	LC	resident (1993)	present	A3
Arabian Babbler Argya squamiceps	LC	resident (1991)	present	A3, B3
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii	LC	resident (1991)	10–50 breeding pairs	B3
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii	LC	winter (1991)	5,000 individuals	B3
Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha	LC	resident (1991)	present	A3, B3
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus	LC	passage (1991)	5,000 individuals	B3
Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus	LC	winter (1991)	100 individuals	B3
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus	LC	resident (1991)	2–4 breeding pairs	B2
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus	LC	winter (1991)	20–50 individuals	B2
Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea	NT	passage (1991)	15 individuals	A1, B2
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes	n/a	passage (1977–1988)	1,200,000 individuals	A4iv, B1iv

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Nehalim Gedolim Uqetura	Nature Reserve (-)	-
1964	Hof HaAlmogim BeElat	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1970	Yotvata	Nature Reserve (IV)	3
1986	Massiv Elat	Nature Reserve (IV)	65

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Desert	major (>10)
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	minor (<10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	minor (<10)
Savanna	minor (<10)
Shrubland	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	72
tourism/recreation	major (>10)
agriculture	minor (<10)
fisheries/aquaculture	minor (<10)
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Southern Arava valley and Elat mountains (Israel). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/southern-arava-valley-and-elat-mountains-iba-israel on 19/01/2025.