Breeding birds are in considerable decline in the Ajloun Forest Reserve

Densities and populations of most breeding bird species in Ajloun Forest Reserve have “considerably declined” over the past three years in the evergreen Oak forest, a newly-released study carried out by the studies section at the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) in 2017 indicated. Ajloun Forest Reserve is located in the Ajloun highlands north of Amman and covers 13 square kilometers. The study, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, was implemented as part of a monitoring programme to evaluate the densities and populations of breeding species within the reserve, which the RSCN eyes as “one of the most important bird areas in northern Jordan”.

Results of the study indicated that key bird species, the wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) and blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) , showed decreases since a similar study was conducted in 2014. The study, however, indicated that while the decline in the population of the blue tit was minor, standing at -9 per cent, the population remained higher than figures recorded in 2006 and 2009. The decline in the population of the wren was for its part higher, standing at -51 per cent, according to the study. Only Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), blue tit, blackbird (Turdus merula) and lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) had populations of over 1,000 individuals.

Source: The Jordan Times, August 14, 2018
http://jordantimes.com/news/local/breeding-bird-species-%E2%80%98notabl…

.