Important Bird Areas

No species of restricted range are known but there are a number of species which are restricted to two particular biomes. The Mediterranean North Africa biome extends in a narrow strip along the Libyan coast and holds 12 of 17 species restricted to this biome. The Sahara-Sindian biome covers the rest of the country and holds 14 of the 22 species of this biome. Important breeding colonies of terns are found along the coast and a number of oases in the southern desert are important for migrants.

A total of 8 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been identified covering 2,865 km2. This low total reflects the lack of available ornithological data. 4 of the IBAs have protected area status, one is partially protected and 3 are unprotected.

2 IBAs are in the north-west of the country, Karabolli and Nefhusa (Jebel Nafusa). These hold Mediterranean North Africa biome species such as Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara and Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala. 2 IBAs in the north-east, Jabal al Akhdar and Geziret al Elba-Ayn al Ghazalah Bay hold similar species.

2 further IBAs are in the north-east, Benghazi and Geziret Garah are important for water birds especially Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis at the latter site which is thought to hold 95% of the breeding population in the Mediterranean.

Of the remaining 2 IBAs, Zallaf is in the centre of the country and Ghat oases is in the far south-west. These sites contain many Sahara-Sindian biome species including Sooty Falcon Falco concolor, Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallus, Greater Hoopoe-Lark Alaemon alaudipes, Pale Crag Martin Hirundo obsoleta, White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga and Desert Sparrow Passer simplex.

Further information on Libya’s IBAs can be found at BirdLife International.