Table of Contents. 3. Species accounts including tables 1 and 2 and Birds Inventory with photographs and notes on each species

Transcription

1 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Species accounts including tables 1 and 2 and Birds Inventory with photographs and notes on each species 4. Bird species selected for further monitoring 5. A worked example of Chaffinch numbers through the year 6. Recommendations for further study and activities 7. Assessment of threats 8. Dominance and Dynamics 9. Roles played by birds in the Reserve environment and ecosystem with special reference to the insect pest Appendix 1 IUCN Red List categories for endangered species Appendix 2 Criteria codes for the endangered species categories Appendix 3 Raw data showing observations made on each survey visit

2 1. Introduction Birds Inventory of Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve A Rocha was contracted to fulfill two primary aims, as laid down in the Terms of Reference: 1) To carry out surveys on site, assessing the presence of bird species in Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve 2) To produce a Bird Inventory for the Reserve Twelve visits were made between 28 March 2005 and 1 May 2006 at all seasons of the year, by A Rocha Lebanon staff and visiting birdwatchers from Holland, United Kingdom, Belgium, France and New Zealand. Tannourine Reserve wardens accompanied some of the visits which added to their bird identification skills (a more structured Bird Identification course is however recommended for the Reserve staff). In addition to the birds observed on the visits listed in Appendix 3, four species have been included in the Inventory thanks to sightings from Tannourine Reserve staff and previous scientific survey work, namely Barn Owl 1, Wryneck, Hoopoe 2 and Syrian Serin 3. Birds flying over the reserve, and those observed in the areas immediately surrounding the forest are included. In May 2006 Birdlife International declared Tannourine Cedars an Important Bird Area in Lebanon after assessment of the data gathered for this inventory Although such a modest survey cannot make any scientific conclusions regarding such issues as the insect threat at Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve, the Inventory notes on each species do include descriptions of food preferences of those species dwelling in the forest itself. This is further elaborated in section 9. Thus it can be seen that the titmice and finches may have an important role in controlling the insect numbers thanks to their preference for invertebrate prey in the spring and summer period, this supposition would of course need a specific scientific survey to be proven correct as elaborated in section 6. Following a description of the methodology (section 2) the Inventory contains a short sentence or two about each species and where and when it is most likely to be seen. The order of species follows S.Cramp and K.E.L. Simmons The birds of the Western Palearctic (Section 3.) There are accredited photographs of all the species, wherever possible photographs taken in Lebanon have been used, the cover painting is an original work by Veronique Prior of A Rocha Lebanon. Also in section 3 two species lists are included (Tables 1 and 2), the first showing the status and occurrence of each species at Tannourine (based on the 12 field visits), indicating where the species is considered of Conservation concern, an estimate of breeding pairs in the Reserve is shown where appropriate. The second list shows when and where a species is likely to be seen, and the species food preferences. A selection of species considered suitable for future monitoring has been made (Section 4), with an example of patterns in bird populations that can be drawn out from the raw data (graph showing the fluctuation in Chaffinch numbers observed Section 5). The raw data itself from every visit is included (Appendix 3) 1 Pers comm., M Abi Said 2 Pers comm., Tannourine Reserve Staff 3 G.Ramadan-Jaradi and M Ramadan-Jaradi, Lebanese Science Journal, Vol.3,No.1,2002

3 Additionally there are recommendations of further study and activity (section 6), an examination of threats to birds in and around Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve (section 7), a reference to dynamics and dominance in birds at the site (section 8) and a consideration of roles played by birds in the Reserve environment and ecosystem with special reference to the insect pest (section 9).. 2. Methodology As discussed in the Terms of Reference the informal extended look-see methodology was chosen as the most appropriate technique for a preliminary survey of this sort, which seeks to list all the species present rather than to assess accurately the populations of those species, or to compare the health of the ecosystem with previous or subsequent years. A More Detailed Description of the Methodology Number of visits 12 visits were carried out during the course of the year. Of these, 10 were carried out by a minimum of 2 members of the A Rocha Lebanon Team, in all a total of 25 person-days during the course of the survey. A further visit in February was abandoned due to a snowstorm. The precise form which each visit took differed every time, depending on factors such as time of year, weather conditions, number of observers etc. However, most visits involved a walk around the reserve covering as large an area as possible and all the habitat types within the reserve, although the route was not the same on each visit. Many of the visits were made in the mornings to coincide with most bird activity, however to ensure that the inventory was as complete as possible, at least one visit was made at night to assess the presence of nocturnal birds, principally owls, this also allowed a dawn chorus visit to be made the following morning before sunrise. When there was a large passage of soaring birds migrating overhead, the observer(s) counted from one place for an extended period, in a manner similar to that described under the heading Point Counts in the Terms of Reference. In a forest environment where birds are often hidden from view, it proved important at all times of year to pay as much attention to locating and identifying birds by sound as by sight, thus increasing the number of species and individual birds recorded. On each visit, as well as recording the species present, notes were made of the numbers of each species seen or heard. During the breeding season, efforts were made to assess the numbers of breeding pairs of each species seen. However, this did not include territory mapping as this is outside the scope of this study and moreover is not within the aims as given in the Terms of Reference. As well as the birds within the forest itself, and within the boundaries of the Reserve, attention was paid to the immediate surrounding area. Birds do not recognize boundaries made by humans and are likely to move between several different habitats in the Tannourine area, including rocky slopes, mattoral scrub,

4 watercourses and possibly even human habitations as well as Cedar forest. The locations and habitat where birds were found has been recorded. As well as the data from visits by A Rocha Lebanon staff, anecdotal data was gathered by talking to Reserve staff and local inhabitants, although due to the difficulty in identifying closely related birds by non-specialists, this data has been used with care. 3. Species accounts Two species lists follow (Tables 1 and 2), the first showing the status and occurrence of each species at Tannourine (based on the 12 field visits), indicating where the species is considered of Conservation concern, an estimate of breeding pairs in the Reserve is shown where appropriate. The second list shows when and where a species is likely to be seen, and the species food preferences. Tables 1 and 2

5 Bird Species Lists for Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve The following tables summarise the results of the survey in terms of occurrence, status at Tannourine, habitat preference and food preference Table 1:- Species List showing occurrence, status and estimated no. of pairs at Tannourine English Name of Species Scientific name of Species Occ. Status Cons Concern Code Pairs White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus PM Unc. White Stork Ciconia ciconia PM Abund. Black Kite Milvus migrans PM Abund. Eurasian Griffon-vulture Gyps fulvus PM,S Rare Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus SB,PM Freq. 1 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus WV,PM Unc. Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes PM Unc. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus PM Freq. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo PM Abund. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus R,PM Comm. 1 Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina PM Abund. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis PM Unc. Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca PM Rare V C1 Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus PM Unc. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus R,PM Comm. 1 Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus PM Unc. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo PM Unc. Chukar Alectoris chukar R Comm. 10 Common Crane Grus grus PM Unc. Rock Dove Columba livia R Comm. 5 Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus SB,PM Unc. 1 Barn Owl Tyto alba R Unc. 1 Tawny Owl Strix aluco R Unc. 1 Common Swift Apus apus PM,S Comm. Hoopoe Upupa epops PM Unc. Wryneck Jynx torquilla PM Unc. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster PM Unc. Wood Lark Lullula arborea R Freq. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis WV Comm. Sand Martin Riparia riparia PM Unc. Eurasian Crag-martin Hirundo rupestris PM Unc. Eurasian Swallow Hirundo rustica PM,S Freq. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo rufula PM Unc. House Martin Delichon urbica PM,S Unc. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris SB Comm. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis PM Freq. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta WV Rare Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea R Unc. Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes R Comm. 15 Dunnock Prunella modularis WV Unc. European Robin Erithacus rubecula WV Comm. White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis SB Rare Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros R Comm. 20 Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus PM Unc. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe SB Comm.

6 Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica SB Comm. 5 Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius R Comm. 3 Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula R Comm. 15 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos WV Unc. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus WV Unc. Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti R?SB? Unc. 1 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla PM Abund. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca SB Abund. 50 Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris SB Unc. Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita R Abund. 25 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata SB,PM Unc. Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca PM Rare Coal Tit Parus ater R Abund. 40 Great Tit Parus major R Abund. 20 Blue Tit Parus caeruleus R Comm. 10 Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer R Freq. 1 Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio SB Comm. 2 Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus SB Unc. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius R Comm. 5 Hooded Crow Corvus cornix R Comm. 5 Common Raven Corvus corax R Rare House Sparrow Passer domesticus R Abund. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis PM Rare Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia R Abund. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs R Comm. 10 Brambling Fringilla montifringilla WV Unc. European Serin Serinus serinus WV Unc. Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus SB? Unknown NT (C2b) European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris R Comm. 10 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis R Comm. 10 Eurasian Linnet Carduelis cannabina R Comm. Rock Bunting Emberiza cia R Freq. Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana PM Unc. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala SB Freq. Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra WV Unc. Occurrence (Occ) column uses the following codes (referring to Tannourine and not Lebanon as a whole): SB = Breeding summer visitor, R = Resident breeder, WV = Winter visitor, PM = Passage migrant, S = Non-breeding summer visitor Status column uses the Birdlife International terms (to be seen as a guide to likely sighting in conjunction with occurrence information): Abund=Seen in large numbers in preferred habitat, Comm=Seen singly or in small numbers in preferred habitat, Freq=Often but not always seen in preferred habitat, Unc=Seen sporadically in preferred habitat, Rare=Rarely seen, Unknown=Not possible to assess abundance from data gathered during this survey Cons concern column uses the IUCN Red List categories (see Appendix 1) Code column gives the additional criteria (see Appendix 2) Pairs column shows the estimated number of pairs breeding inside the Reserve boundary

7 Table 2:- Species list with most likely months to be seen, preferred habitat at Tannourine, and food preference of each species at Tannourine. English Name of Species Scientific name of Species Months Hab. Pref. Food Pref. White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus 3-5, 9-11 O White Stork Ciconia ciconia 3-6 O Black Kite Milvus migrans 3-5, 9-10 O Eurasian Griffon-vulture Gyps fulvus 3-5, 9-10 O Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus 3-10 H/O R Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 10-3 H B/M Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes 4-5, 8-10 O Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 4-5, 9-10 O Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 3-5, 9-11 O Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus 1-12 All M/R/I Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina 3-5, 9-10 O Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis 3-4, 9-10 O Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca 3-4, 9-10 O Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus 3-5, 9-10 O Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 1-12 Cl/H/O M/I/R/B Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus 9-10 O Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo 4-5, 9-10 O Chukar Alectoris chukar 1-12 H S/I Common Crane Grus grus 3-4, 9-11 O Rock Dove Columba livia 1-12 Cl S/I Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 3-9 H I Tawny Owl Strix aluco 1-12 W M/I/R Barn Owl Tyto alba 1-12 H/B M/B/I Common Swift Apus apus 3-9 O AI Hoopoe Upupa epops 3-5, 8-10 Orc/H I Wryneck Jynx torquilla 3-4 H/W I European Bee-eater Merops apiaster 4-5, 9-10 O AI Wood Lark Lullula arborea 3-11 H I/S Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis 11-3 H S/I Sand Martin Riparia riparia 3-5, 9-10 O AI Eurasian Crag-martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris 3-4, 8-10 O AI Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 3-11 O AI Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica 4-5, 8-9 O AI House Martin Delichon urbica 3-8 Cl/O AI Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris 4-9 H I Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis 4-5, 8-10 W/Ce I Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta 3-5, 9-11 H I Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 1-12 St I Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 1-12 S/W/Ce I Dunnock Prunella modularis 11-3 W/Orc I European Robin Erithacus rubecula 11-3 W/S/Ce I White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis 5-8 S/H I/Be Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros 1-12 W/H/Ce I Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus 3-4, 8-11 W/Ce I Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe 4-11 H I Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica 4-10 H I Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius 1-12 H/Cl I/R

8 English Name of Species Scientific name of Species Months Hab. Pref. Food Pref. Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula 1-12 W/S/Ce I/Be Song Thrush Turdus philomelos 11-3 W/Orc I/Be Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus 11-3 W/Ce I/Be Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti?5-9 S/St I Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 3-5, 9-10 S/W/Ce I/Be Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca 4-9 S/W/ce I/Be Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris 4-9 S/H I Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 1-12 W/Ce I Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 4-10 W/Orc/Ce AI Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca 4-5, 8-9 W/Ce AI Coal Tit Parus ater 1-12 Ce I/S Great Tit Parus major 1-12 W/Orc/Ce I/S Blue Tit Parus caeruleus 1-12 Ce I/S Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer 1-12 H/Cl I/S/R Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 4-10 H/S I/M/R/B Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus 4-10 Orc/S I/R/B Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius 1-12 W/S/Ce I/S/B Hooded Crow Corvus cornix 1-12 All C/I/M/B/S Common Raven Corvus corax?1-12 Cl C/I/M/B House Sparrow Passer domesticus 1-12 B S/I Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis?5-6 W/S/Orc S/I Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia 1-12 H S/Be/I Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs 1-12 W/H/Orc/Ce S/I Brambling Fringilla montifringilla 11-2 W/H/Orc S European Serin Serinus serinus 11-3 W/Orc S Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus?5-9 Ce S/I European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris 1-12 W/Orc/Ce S/I European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 1-12 H/S/W/Ce S/I Eurasian Linnet Carduelis cannabina 1-12 H/S/W/Ce S Rock Bunting Emberiza cia 1-12 H S/I Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana 4-5, 8-9 H I/S Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala 5-8 Orc/H S/I Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra 10-3 H/S S/I Months column shows in which months a species might occur at Tannourine (1= January, 12= December Hab Pref column indicates the habitat(s) in which species could be seen at Tannourine, codes used are as follows: A = All, B = Buildings, Ce = Cedar/pine forests, Cl = Cliffs, H = Open, rocky or weedy hillsides, O = Flying overhead, Orc = Orchards and gardens, S = Scrub, St = Streams W = Woodland and bushes Food Pref column shows the preferred types of food for each species, there is no entry alongside those species which fly over the forest on migration without feeding. The codes used are as follows: AI = Aerial insects, B =Small birds, Be = Berries and other fruit, C = Carrion, I = Invertebrates M =Small mammals, R = Reptiles and/or amphibians, S = Seeds

9 4. Tannourine bird species for further monitoring i. Species largely restricted to Cedar and Pine forests in Lebanon. a) Coal Tit The commonest of the three breeding members of the genus Parus in the forest, it is very vocal and straightforward to identify. b) Blue Tit A common woodland and garden bird in much of Europe, this species only breeds in the Middle East in Jordan, Iran and Lebanon (first proved breeding in 1998) 4, and is therefore at the southern end of its range. It is apparently not a common bird at Tannourine but is more elusive than the Coal Tit, often heard more often than seen. Family parties with recently-fledged young are however easy to locate from their contact calls, so assessing numbers of breeding pairs would not be difficult. ii Economic species a) Blackcap The restaurant trade in songbirds killed in Lebanon has recently been estimated to involve 6 million birds, of which Blackcap is the predominant species. Migrating through the forest and surrounds in spring and autumn, this species numbers are worthy of monitoring, particularly if hunting activity or consumer choices change in Lebanon as a result of bird influenza fears/legislation. b) Chukar A popular bird with hunters, Tannourine forest is a safe haven for Chukar, thanks to its no shooting policy. As with the Blackcap, numbers may change in the coming years if customs or laws change with regard to hunting. iii A Resident breeding species Black Redstart The sub-species Semirufus, which is restricted to the Levant, breeds in the Reserve and its song, which includes a strange crackling like static electricity, is a distinctive sound in the forest in spring. Annual monitoring of breeding pairs, as with some of the other species featured here, would be an important feature of assessing the general health of the forest. iv A Migrant breeding species a) Lesser Whitethroat The most abundant breeding bird of the reserve, this migrant warbler arrives from Africa in late March and remains into September. An insect eater, it nests low in the tangled undergrowth of the forest. Long term monitoring of this species would be most useful, as potential problems in its wintering grounds, e.g. drought, would probably be reflected in reduced numbers of returning birds to Tannourine. Another monitoring exercise involving this species could include the mapping of habitat/vegetation types used for nesting, the results of which could be taken into account if certain habitat management/control measures were being considered.

10 b) White-throated Robin A more challenging migrant breeding species which could be subject to monitoring is the White-throated Robin, in 2005 one or two pairs were found attempting to breed on the valley side on the southern edge of the reserve, and a male bird had returned to the same location by 1 May The species is only known to breed in one other location in Lebanon so its presence at Tannourine is of national significance. With appropriate capacity, further searching and monitoring could add to the knowledge of this species status in Lebanon. v. A passage migrant species Blackcap For the less experienced observer, the Blackcap is an appropriate passage migrant species to choose, as it is easily recognizable and not too shy, making it the most obvious passerine migrating through the forest. vi A wintering species Robin Although much of the reserve is difficult to access in mid-winter and birds generally hard to observe, due to snow cover and poor light, the Robin is a suitable species for a winter survey, as its call regularly advertises its presence even if it does not always prove visible. vii A species of conservation concern Syrian Serin The Syrian Serin is endemic to the Middle East and is listed as a Near Threatened Species according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Birds of the World. It is known to have bred at Tannourine in the past 5 ; however none were observed throughout the contracted period for compiling this inventory. It is therefore a very important species to search for, and if found, to monitor such factors as arrival and departure dates, number of breeding pairs and juveniles observed post-breeding. viii An indicator species Jay Thanks to the variety of tree species at Tannourine, there is a greater diversity of birds, flowers and insects than would be found in a 100% cedar forest. This enables birds such as the Jay to flourish; its absence would indicate a decline in the general health of the reserve, thus making it an indicator species. Its loud alarm call would help the monitors in any study undertaken to locate this species.

11 5 A worked example of Chaffinch numbers through the year from the raw data The following example shows how the raw data can illustrate population fluctuations of birds in the census through the year. Here we graph one species to show how a resident species (Chaffinch) numbers are augmented by the arrival of a wintering population. Other interesting patterns could be illustrated by graphing other species. Graph 1 Chaffinch at Tannourine Numbers seen /28/2005 4/18/2005 5/9/2005 5/30/2005 6/20/2005 7/11/2005 8/1/2005 8/22/2005 9/12/ /3/ /24/ /14/ /5/ /26/2005 1/16/2006 2/6/2006 2/27/2006 3/20/2006 4/10/2006 5/1/2006 Dates

12 6. Recommendation for further study and activities In addition to the species selected for monitoring there are two more species that merit further study: 1) Griffon Vulture This species is normally only seen on migration through Lebanon although it formerly bred in the country. With sufficient observers searching the mountains around Tannourine the presence of Griffon Vulture in the breeding season could be investigated, should it be found to breed, there is the potential for eco-tourism through establishment of a vulture restaurant as has proved successful in countries in Europe. 2) Raven A rare breeding bird in Lebanon, the sighting of a calling pair at Tannourine on 30 March 2006 is an exciting development. If, as seems likely from this sighting, the species breeds in the Tannourine area, there is an opportunity to study the phenology of its breeding in the country, food preferences etc. With increased awareness of nature conservation in the Tannourine municipality it is hoped that local (young?) people might become involved in protection of birds in the general area, particularly in view of the impending award of IBA (Important Bird Area) status to Tannourine. A more practical and immediate improvement would be the creation of a pond at Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve; there is apparently no permanent water available to birds at present. Syrian Serin is particularly water-dependant and the provision of a supply would enhance the prospects of this important species. As discussed in Section 3 and 9 there are a number of potential aviation predators of the insect pest Cephalcia tannourinensis. To establish which of these species are important in the control of the pest further studies will be required as outlined below. Either: 1) Capture of insect eating birds by mist-netting in the period late April to mid June when the larva is found on the trees, followed by laboratory investigation of gut contents. The advantage of this method is that it enables a quantitative analysis of diet and therefore relative importance of each species as a predator of the pest. However, it must be realized that it is a very time consuming study and obviously leads to mortality of the birds, one species of which (Blue Tit) is found in very low numbers in Lebanon. 2) A less aggressive technique could be developed (following the mapping of the insect genome planned in the coming year by the American University of Beirut) by faecal analysis of insect eating birds. 3)Concentrated observation of birds feeding on insects in trees known to be suffering from the pest in the late-april to mid-june period would be suggestive of the relative importance of particular insect eaters in controlling Cephalcia tannourinensis. Table 1 gives an indication of estimated breeding pairs from the inventory. A natural extension of this work would be to carry out a detailed Breeding Birds Survey between the months of April and June. As well as giving a more exact figure for breeding populations an extensive study of this nature could map territories of breeding birds throughout the forest. This would provide detailed information on habitat quality for breeding bird species which could inform management decisions.

13 Although of a much wider scope than would be possible using the manpower at Tannourine Cedars Nature Reserve, a very interesting national study would be a comparison of avian biodiversity at various cedar forests in Lebanon. This might help explain why certain species, eg. Bonelli s Eagle are found at restricted locations. 7. Assessment of threats Following the 12 visits of the study and interviews with Reserve staff it is our assessment that threats and illegal activities affecting the birds at the Tannourine Reserve appear to be minimal within the reserve itself. We believe that this is thanks to the efficient guarding/wardening of the site. However, as is the case with all protected reserves the potential exists for threats to develop. In particular we would like to highlight the following to encourage the continued vigilance of the Reserve team: 1) Disturbance of the birds by noise and other visitor activity. Particularly during the breeding season (May and June) birds are especially sensitive to disturbance, which can result in nest desertion. It is essential that visitor behaviour is always conducive to the continued wellbeing of the birds. 2) Fire risk associated with visitor access. It is essential that visitors to the Reserve respect the rules about smoking and barbecues to ensure fire prevention. In addition, glass bottles should be banned from the reserve as broken glass can act as a magnifier starting fires in the summer. 3) Collecting of wood, fungi, fruits and other medicinal and edible plants. Removal of this material degrades the environment, potentially affecting bird populations, and should continue to be discouraged. 4) Populations of predatory mammals and birds. In a balanced ecosystem the numbers of predators and prey find their own equilibrium. However, with the proximity of human habitation and the associated large amounts of rubbish, certain species numbers could be of concern as their populations are unnaturally enhanced. A serious consequence of enlarged predator populations is predation of nests of ground and low nesting birds, such as Chukar and some Warbler species. Of particular concern in this regard are Red Fox, Hooded Crow and Stone Marten, the parallel study into mammals at Tannourine should be consulted. Although our analysis of threats within the Reserve indicates a high level of protection, we have identified a major threat in the region as being largely uncontrolled hunting outside of the Reserve perimeter. As indicated in this report, a number of the important species of the area are in fact found outside the reserve itself, eg. White-Throated Robin. In addition, even species largely confined to the Reserve are vulnerable as they migrate to Tannourine. A number of species are wide ranging, for example, Long-legged Buzzard, whose hunting territory falls both within and without the Reserve boundary.

14 8. Dominance and dynamics As mentioned in the Terms of Reference, more in-depth scientific studies would be needed to examine the interaction between different species at the site. Alarm calls were noted from Great Tit and Coal Tit when Jays were in their vicinity, causing juvenile birds to fall silent rather than continuing with their contact/begging calls, and on one occasion a Blackbird was seen chasing a Jay away. Other inter-species interaction was rarely observed, apart from one instance of Hooded Crows mobbing a Long-legged Buzzard.

15

16 9 Roles played by birds in the Reserve environment and ecosystem with special reference to the insect pest Table 3 Importance of birds to environment, ecosystem and insect threat Predators of Predators of Predators Seeds Insects Carrion Potentially small birds birds and of reptiles and significant eaters important small fruit in diet insect mammals significant pest in diet eater Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) SB,PM Frequent x Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) PM Frequent x Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) R,PM Common x x x x Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) R,PM Common x x x Chukar (Alectoris chukar) R Common x x Rock Dove (Columba livia) R Common x Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) SB,PM Uncommon x Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) R Uncommon x x Common Swift (Apus apus) PM,S Common x Wood Lark (Lullula arborea) R Frequent x x Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) WV Common x Eurasian Swallow (Hirundo rustica) PM,S Frequent x House Martin (Delichon urbica) PM,S Uncommon x Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) SB Common x Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) PM Frequent x x

17 Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) R Common x x European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) WV Common x x Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) R Common x x Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) SB Common x Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) SB Common x Blue Rock-thrush (Monticola solitarius) R Common x x x Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) R Common x x Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) PM Abundant x x x Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) SB Abundant x x x Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) R Abundant x x Coal Tit (Parus ater) R Abundant x x x Great Tit (Parus major) R Abundant x x x Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) R Common x x x Rock Nuthatch (Sitta neumayer) R Frequent x x Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) SB Common x x x x Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) R Common x x x Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) R Common x x House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) R Abundant x x Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) R Abundant x x Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) R Common x x x European Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) R Common x x x European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) R Common x x x Eurasian Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) R Common x x x Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) R Frequent x x x Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) SB Frequent x x

18 The table indicates the important roles played in the environment by birds which feed in and around the Reserve, summarizing information presented in more detail in the species accounts. There are six different categories of impact on the environment by birds, as defined by diet, the seventh category is a subset of insect eaters which have a potentially significant impact on the insect threat Cephalcia tannourinensis. Criteria used for selection of birds in the table: The species selected were found to be of significant abundance to have an impact, for example, Tree Pipit was included as it was found to be frequent in the Reserve during the periods of migration, whereas the White-throated Robin was excluded as only one to two breeding pairs were located during the period of study. Species selected all feed in the area, therefore an abundant passage migrant such as White Stork, that does not feed in or around the Reserve was excluded, but Eurasian Sparrowhawk, another migrant, was, as it preys on passerine inhabitants of the Reserve. Explanation of the table Predators of small birds. Species in this category have small birds as a significant proportion of their diet, their presence is an important indicator of good numbers of passerines in the Reserve, they will have an effect on passerine numbers through predation. Predators of birds, small mammals and reptiles Species represented in these two categories have small birds mammals and reptiles as a significant proportion of their diet, they are the species generally at the top of the avian food chain, their presence therefore indicates a healthy biodiversity. Small mammals likely to be preyed upon include Spalax leucodon, Apodemus sylvaticus, Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus and Rhinolophus euryale judaicus. Reptiles preyed upon are likely to include Laudakia stellio, Malpolon monspessulanus and Daboia palaestinae. The presence of Short-toed Eagle in the Reserve area is significant, this species feeds almost exclusively on reptiles, particularly snakes, so it is a sign of a healthy reptile population and will have an effect on snake numbers. Seeds and fruit significant in diet. Species represented in this column often switch to a more insect rich diet in the warmer seasons, as referred to in the species accounts. They play a very important role however in the dispersal of seeds around the reserve, facilitating the dispersal of tree and plant species. Jay for example has the habit of burying seeds and nuts in the autumn, for retrieval in harder weather, but inevitably not all such food stores are recalled by the birds, enabling the seeds to germinate the following spring. There is also a small, but potentially serious risk of these species transporting unwelcome invasive or non-native plants to the reserve from elsewhere eg. gardens in coastal Lebanon.

19 Insects significant in diet As the table clearly indicates, nearly all the birds of Tannourine eat insects, some exclusively, like the Swallow, others as part of a more varied diet and depending on seasonal availability. Together, these species play an important role in controlling insect numbers and maintaining a healthy balance in the ecosystem. Carrion eaters Although there is little in the way of carrion to be found inside the Reserve boundaries, carrion eaters such as the Hooded Crow have their numbers artificially raised by the presence of poorly disposed of garbage. Such an artificially induced increase in population of this last named species would have a serious knock-on effect on the local environment, in terms of predation of nesting birds. Potentially important insect pest eater As indicated in Proposal for a Birds Inventory of the Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve A Rocha Lebanon 2005 reference has been made to food preferences but the scope of this inventory does not extend to an appraisal of species importance to the insect threat. For a quantative study of impact by bird species on a specific insect such as Cephalcia tannourinensis see section 6. However using the following criteria we have identified potentially important avian predators of the insect threat. Criteria used for their selection: The species chosen are predominately insect eaters, or switch to such prey in season. Known habitat preferences, eg Chukar is excluded as it is a ground feeder, whereas Blue Tit is included as it feeds in Cedar. Abundance. Rare and occasional species, eg. Spanish Sparrow, are excluded, but other insect feeding migrants that feed in the forest in significant numbers on their spring and autumn migration eg. Tree Pipit, are included. 4 T.Bara, Sandgrouse 24 (1): G.Ramadan-Jaradi and M Ramadan-Jaradi, Lebanese Science Journal, Vol.3,No.1,2002

20