The area inhabits 14 large and medium mammal species such as the Rock Hyrax. 215 plant species among which 20 tree species and 11 endemics

#ImportantBirdArea of the Month: Jabal Moussa Mountain, Lebanon

Location

Lebanon, Mount Lebanon
Central coordinates 35o 45.91′ East  34o 3.10′ North
IBA criteria A4iv, B1iv
Area 3,787 ha
Altitude 1,100 m
Year of IBA assessment 2008

Summary The site is a mountain which extends westwards from the main Mount Lebanon chain along the edge of the Nahr Ibrahim, just to the west of Jabal Aalmat on the opposite side of the river. It is an important bottleneck for soaring birds, migrating passerines, and breeding birds such as Blue tit. Jabal Moussa represents a mosaic of Mediterranean habitats with mixtures of oak, pine, and wild fruit trees.

Site description Jabal Moussa is situated on the western side of the Mount Lebanon range of mountains on the western side of Lebanon. The site is a mountain which extends westwards from the main Mount Lebanon chain along the southern edge of the Nahr Ibrahim (Adonis River), just to the west of Jabal Aalmat on the opposite side of the river.

Key Biodiversity This site is most important for soaring migratory birds, with extrapolated numbers exceeding the 20 000 threshold. White Storks are the most common in spring while birds of prey dominate autumn passage. Breeding birds locally include many of the common species which would be expected in this kind of habitat such as Chukar, Black Redstart, Rock Nuthatch, Great Tit and Eurasian Jay. The presence of 2 Blue Tits in all four seasons indicates that this species is a resident breeder here, which makes Jabal Moussa one of the most southerly sites for the species in Lebanon.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
A4iv Species group – soaring birds/cranes passage 2008 20,000-49,999 individuals poor A4iv,