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The site was identified as important in 2007 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
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	20-24 breeding pairs	C6
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	passage	1990-2006	60-70 individuals	C1, C6
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	10-20 breeding pairs	C1
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	VU	breeding	1990-2006	24-40 breeding pairs	C1, C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	winter	1990-2006	12-15 individuals	C6
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	passage	1990-2006	1-2 individuals	C1
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra	LC	breeding	1990-2006	1,200-1,400 breeding pairs	C6
Barred Warbler Curruca nisoria	LC	breeding	1990-2006	20-30 breeding pairs	C6
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris	LC	breeding	1990-2006	1,000-1,200 breeding pairs	C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	12	10	breeding pairs	84	near favourable
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	2	0	breeding pairs	0	very unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	very poor (< 40%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable
Artificial/Terrestrial	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2007	Stepa Saraiu - Horea	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	84

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	73
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland	27

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Stepa Saraiu - Horea (Romania). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/stepa-saraiu--horea-iba-romania on 23/11/2024.