Current view: Text account
Site description (2014 baseline):
Site location and context
The site is located in the Zagros Range and the geology is siltstone and sandstone and the soil type is sandy clay.
A seasonal stream passes through the valley beside the main road between the towns of Zawita and Sarsang
During the surveys, 45 species were recorded. The site also held two Irano-Turanian and four Mediterranean biome-restricted species that were breeding but these did not trigger inclusion under criterion A3. No additional significant observations were made for non-avian fauna.
Additional Plant & Habitat Information: This site contains a good population of Crataegus azarolus, Pistacia eurycarpa, and P. khinjuk, which are economically and culturally important plant species.
This area contains a ridge that is 70% covered by pine (Pinus brutia) forest but oak woodlands exist here as well.
Agriculture is mainly seen near the town of Zawita outside the delineated area. Land is used for field crops (wheat and barley) and vineyards and orchards cover the foothills. An area inside the delineation is used as a resort.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Human intrusion, caused by tourism, has the largest impact and causes an additional threat of pollution at Zawita. These two factors were each rated as high. The site’s proximity to Dohuk promotes human usage, which results in trash accumulation as well as potential sewage problems due to a lack of waste management facilities. Agriculture, development, transportation, grazing and hunting were only considered moderate threats.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Zawita (Iraq). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/zawita-iba-iraq on 23/11/2024.
