Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus | NT | passage (1990–2006) | 60–70 birds | C1, C6 |
| Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus | LC | breeding (1990–2006) | 20–24 pairs | C6 |
| European Roller Coracias garrulus | LC | breeding (1990–2006) | 10–20 pairs | C1 |
| Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus | VU | breeding (1990–2006) | 24–40 pairs | C1, C6 |
| Merlin Falco columbarius | LC | winter (1990–2006) | 12–15 birds | C6 |
| Saker Falcon Falco cherrug | EN | passage (1990–2006) | 1–2 birds | C1 |
| Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra | LC | breeding (1990–2006) | 1,200–1,400 pairs | C6 |
| Barred Warbler Curruca nisoria | LC | breeding (1990–2006) | 20–30 pairs | C6 |
| Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris | LC | breeding (1990–2006) | 1,000–1,200 pairs | C6 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2016 | very poor | very high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| no | population | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus | 10 / 12 (pairs) | 84 | moderate | ||
| Saker Falcon Falco cherrug | 0 / 2 (pairs) | 0 | very poor | ||
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Grassland | very poor (<40%) | very poor (<40%) | very poor |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>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 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | 73 | Arable land |
| Grassland | 27 | Steppes and dry calcareous grassland |
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 23/12/2024.