State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs Project’s name : Mainstreaming Conservation of Migratory Soaring Birds into Key Productive Sectors along the Rift Valley/Red Sea Flyway Executing Organization : Ministry of Environment Managing Organization : United Nations Development Programme Funding Organization : Global Environment Facility Regional Technical Partner : BirdLife International Sub-Contracting Technical Partner : Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon Collated & Edited by : Assad Adel Serhal & Bassima Chafic Khatib Printed by : Dar Bilal for Printing and Publishing The information, results, interpretations and conclusions contained in this book Beirut, Lebanon are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the Ministry of Environment or the United Nations Development Program Tel/fax 00961 1 852 869 00961 3 900879 Layout & Design : Ali Kamal Eddine Cover Illustrations : Husein Ali Zorkot All rights are reserved for the authors State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs Table of Content Foreword 8 2.7.1.1 Sedentary Species 126 Acknowledgment 10 2.7.1.2 Summar Breeding Species 139 Executive Summary 12 2.7.1.3 Vagrant Species 149 List of Abbreviations 14 2.7.1.4 Passage Migrants, Winter Visitors, and Summar Visitors 153 2.7.1.5 Threatened Species 179 Section One: Important Bird Area Programme (Sites) 2.8 Detailed Status of Migratory Soaring & Semi-Soaring Birds in Lebanon 180 1.1 Definition of Important Bird Area’s Programme 17 2.8.1 The Migratory Soaring & Semi-Soaring Birds of Significane 214 1.2 How are IBAs selected? 17 2.8.2 Prioritization of the Significant Soaring & Semi-Soaring Species 220 1.3 What are Important Bird Areas? 19 2.9 Identified Nature and Importance of Threats on Migratory Soaring and 1.4 What is the significance of IBAs? 19 Semi-Soaring Bird Species in Lebanon and Proposed Measures for Their 1.5 Importance of Lebanon for Birds and their Migration 26 Conservation 222 1.6 Declared IBAs in Lebanon (highlighted on the map of Lebanon) 29 2.10 Noteworththingness of the Species 230 1.6.1 Palm Islands Nature Reserve 30 2.11 Periods and Peaks of Passage of Migratory Soaring and Semi-Soaring Birds in 1.6.2 Aammiq Wetland 35 Lebanon 232 1.6.3 Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve 40 2.12 Detailed Status of the Game Birds in Lebanon 233 1.6.4 Ehden Forest Nature Reserve 46 2.13 Conclusion 239 1.6.5 Hima Aanjar / Kfar Zabad 52 2.14 Proposed Action Plan for the Selected Migratory Soaring Species 240 58 1.6.6 Lake Qaraaoun Section Three: Birds habitats in Lebanon (Habitats) 1.6.7 Riim / Sannine Mountain 65 1.6.8 Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve 69 3.1 Birds and Bird Habitats in Lebanon 249 1.6.9 Hima Ebel es-Saqi 74 3.2 International Conventions on Bird habitats signed by Lebanon 250 1.6.10 Semi Deserts of Ras Baalbek 80 3.3 Birds Habitats in Lebanon 251 1.6.11 Beirut River Valley 86 3.3.1 Marine habitats 251 1.6.12 Upper Mountains of Akkar-Donnieh 92 3.3.2 Coastal habitats 253 1.6.13 Bentael Forest Nature Reserve 104 3.3.3 Inland Wetlands Habitats 254 1.6.14 Ramlieh Valley 109 3.3.4 Forest Habitats 257 1.6.15 Jabal Moussa Mountain 114 3.3.5 Agricultural land and Plains 260 3.3.6 Semi-arid Habitats (800 to 2000m) Section Two: Status of Birds in Lebanon (Species) 262 3.3.7 Subalpine Mountain Tops 263 2.1 Summary 121 3.3.8 Parks and Urban Settings 264 2.2 Introduction 121 Section Four: Conservation & Management of IBAs & Birds (People) 2.3 The Country 121 2.4 Study Area 122 4.1 Conservation Status of IBAs & the Revival of the Hima Approach by SPNL 267 2.5 Methods 124 4.2 Jeju Declaration adopted to promote Hima 268 2.6 Ornithological History 124 4.3 Syrian Serin Species (Serinus syriacus) Action Plan in Hima Anjar 271 2.7 Results 125 2.7.1 The Various Categories of Species 126 List of References 296 8 9 State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs Foreword A salute to conservation in Lebanon This book is a conservation gem. It is an important resource to read for all who care This last visit to Lebanon brought back happy memories. I spent a week in the about the wildlife heritage of a remarkable country. It is essential reading for all mountains of the Upper Akkar on the route of migrating eagles, buzzards and politicians and decision-makers who must act to ensure this heritage is protected – storks that had departed their breeding grounds in Europe and Asia, and were not only for Lebanon, but for the world. heading south on their long journey to Africa where they will spend the winter. In that week, we witnessed the spectacle of over 10,000 migratory soaring birds – We all share and have a responsibility for our planet, no matter where we live or circling high in the thermals or passing just a few meters from us on our mountain what our religion is. Conserving Planet Earth unites us all. look-out. Lebanon, you delivered a real treat and one day I know I will return to enjoy. Although I have been actively involved in ornithology and conservation in the Middle East for nearly 50 years, it was in 2007 when I first stepped on the sacred turf So with that happy thought, I commend to you State of Lebanon’s birds and IBAs. of Lebanon. I was thrilled to be there. Together with SPNL staff, it was a privilege to take part in the first coastal HIMA training course for villagers, farmers and All players in the journey of protecting birds in Lebanon must be truly proud of fisherman near the ancient city of Tyre. I then explored the snow-covered Shouf this achievement and BirdLife International can be equally proud to have such loyal mountains with their famous ‘Cedars of Lebanon’, explored the wetland delights of partners on the level of the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, GEF, UNDP and Aammiq, drank the wines of the Bekaa Valley, and finally helped in launching the SPNL. Arabic edition of Birds of the Middle East – a great SPNL achievement which has spawned country Arabic bird guides in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait and shortly Qatar. Many Happy Returns, dear friends. Good fortune and every success in your conservation endeavours. My second visit to Lebanon was in autumn 2011. My companions were Lebanese conservationists, teachers, ministry officials and hunters, all wanting to learn about Richard Porter the wonders of bird migration, the threats on the birds’ hazardous journeys, and the Ornithologist, BirdLife’s Middle East Advisor challenges faced by those charged with their conservation. England, January 2014 10 11 State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs Acknowledgment This book “State of Lebanon’s birds & IBAs” is a jewel and achievement for birds and It is also important to acknowledge the technical support provided from BirdLife biodiversity in Lebanon. It is the first book that collates all relevant data on birds, International whenever needed. Special gratitude is extended to the MAVA Important Bird Areas, bird habitats, and conservation efforts in one document. Foundation and their support that made the national survey for the identification of IBAs a reality in Lebanon. Further acknowledgment is directed to the Aage V. For this achievement, many thanks are extended to Mr. Edgard Chehab, Ms. Jensen Charity Foundation for their contribution in covering the research on birds Jihan Seoud, Mrs. Joelle Salameh, and Mrs. Yendi Ghossein from the Energy and and habitat status. Environment Programme – UNDP for their support and cooperation. Special appreciation is directed to Dr. Saleem Hamadeh – MSB project manager in Lebanon Finally, appreciation and special thanks to the co-authors and artists for their and his team for the support they provided to the Society for the Protection of contributions towards the production of the “State of Lebanon’s Birds & IBAs” book. Nature in Lebanon-SPNL and their cooperation towards the production of this book. Thank you all for your cooperation and support that made the production of this important scientific resource a reality for Lebanon! Further thanks goes to Ms. Lara Samaha – Head of the Ecosystem Department at the Ministry of Environment for her follow-up, cooperation and support. Bassima Chafic Khatib Assad Adel Serhal Sincere gratitude is directed to the Global Environment Facility that provided the opportunity and funds for the Development and production of this important resource for Lebanon, through the Project - Mainstreaming Conservation of Migratory Soaring Birds into Key Production Sectors along the Rift Valley/Red Sea SPNL Assistant SPNL Director General Flyway. Director General Global Councillor - BirdLife International 12 13 State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs State of Lebanon’s Birds and IBAs Executive Summary This book “State of Lebanon’s Birds & IBAs” is the first of its kind for Lebanon. It the status of each. It covers a specific section for soaring and non-soaring birds in summarizes the scientific work done on birds and their habitats for more than 30 Lebanon with their status, period and peaks of each. Another section is dedicated years. Its foreword by Richard Porter, the well-known ornithologist and BirdLife’s for game birds also detailing their current status. The chapter ends with a suggested Middle East Advisor, justifies its valuable importance for the biodiversity in action plan for selected migratory soaring birds.