Mahairas Forest - Tzionia (24494)
Cyprus, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Mahairas Forest - Tzionia
Central coordinates: Latitude: 34.9348, Longitude: 33.2197
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 400 to 1423
Area of KBA (km2): 104.10643
Protected area coverage (%): 80.63
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This is an extensive upland site on the Eastern end of the Troodos range, with varied landscapesand elevation ranging from just below 400m toover 1,400m at Tzionia peak. This site hosts important breeding populations of characteristic species of the open pine Troodos range forests, in particular European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus), Cyprus Coal Tit (Parus ater cypriotes) and Cretzschmar’s Bunting (Emberiza caesia). The site also has large enough breeding populations of the two endemics, Cyprus Wheatear (Oenanthe cypriaca) and Cyprus Warbler (Sylvia melanothorax), to qualify as an Endemic Bird Area. Significant numbers of Cyprus Scops Owls (Otus scops cyprius) and Black-headed Buntings (Emberiza melanocephala) complete the picture of qualifying species at this rich site, which also hosts the endemic sub-species Cyprus Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla dorothea) (though not common) and Cyprus Jay (Garrulus glandarius glaszneri). This area is also among the few in Cyprus to have breeding Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) and Blackbirds (Turdus merula).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 7 | |
| Forest | 72 | |
| Shrubland | 18 | |
| Grassland | 3 |
Additional information
References: Hellicar, M.A., Anastasi, V., Beton, D. & Snape, R. (2014). Important Bird Areas of Cyprus. BirdLife Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.