Avifaunal Richness and Conservation in Mount Hermon

Global Objective
The objective of this project is to identify the biodiversity value of the site, assess the negative impacts of current agricultural practices on olive orchards, and recommend strategies for mitigating these impacts. The findings will be shared with relevant stakeholders to guide future conservation plans.
— By Professor Ghassan Jardi, published by Environment for Life (EFL)

Historical Overview and Study Area
Historically, the ornithological study of Lebanon rarely targeted Rachaya Caza. Early references, such as those in MacFarlane’s 1978 paper, mentioned only a few species with uncertain localities. It wasn’t until the 1970s—when Tohmé & Neuschwander (1974) and MacFarlane (1978) documented bird species in the Anti-Lebanon region and possibly other parts of the reserve—that more systematic observations began. A breakthrough came in 2005 when Ghassan Ramadan-Jaradi conducted a comprehensive bird survey in Rachaya Caza on behalf of USAID-Mercy Corps.

Subsequent studies, including two ornithological papers (Beale & Ramadan-Jaradi, 2001; Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi, 2002), provided further insights into some of the avian species in the area. Ongoing, though sporadic, visits to Rachaya, Kawkaba, Kfarmeshki, and their surroundings by Ramadan-Jaradi have since added significant new records. The resulting list of birds is presented in Table 1, where threatened species are highlighted in red, near-threatened species in orange, and trigger species in green.

 Threatened, near threatened and trigger species

Key Summary :

• 95 species recorded
• 36 historical records
• 93 new records
• 6 globally threatened species
• 1 near-threatened species
• 14 biome-restricted species

Conclusions on Avifauna
Over a span of 134 years (1864–1998), Rachaya was visited 36 times by only six researchers (Hardy, 1945; West, 1954; Hollom, 1959; Nevins, 1960; Kumerloeve, 1962; MacFarlane, 1978), yielding a list of 36 species from three areas (Rachaya, Kawkaba, and Kfarmeshki). In contrast, a more recent study conducted by Ramadan-Jaradi, M. and Ramadan-Jaradi, G. between 2002 and 2005—supplemented by visits on 15/3/2019, 22/3/2019, 10/5/2019, 11/5/2019, and 17/5/2019—produced an expanded list. This updated inventory notably includes the Syrian Serin, a breeding species that is classified as vulnerable with a restricted distribution.

Most of the globally significant bird species observed do not breed in Lebanon; many are transient migrants. Despite their fleeting presence, numerous globally threatened species suffer high mortality rates during their passage through the country, contributing to their overall decline.

The confirmed breeding of the Syrian Serin, along with the presence of 14 biome-restricted species, underscores the importance of this area as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

Conservation Recommendations
To protect these vital bird populations, it is essential to:

• Enforce hunting regulations rigorously.
• Ban the use of illegal pesticides.
• Increase public awareness through targeted campaigns.
• Educate students on the importance of biodiversity.
• Advocate with decision-makers to prioritize conservation.
• Monitor changes using indicator species—such as the Masked Shrike, Syrian Serin, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Sardinian Warbler, Mistle Thrush, European Robin, Black-eared Wheatear, Blackbird, Black Redstart, and Eurasian Jay—that are particularly sensitive to shifts from traditional to conventional farming practices.