A Mediterranean bird sanctuary in western Cyprus, protecting one of the island's richest assemblages of protected bird species.
Koilada Ezousas
Koilada Ezousas is a protected natural area in western Cyprus, centered near the village of Ezousas in the Paphos district. Designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds under the European Natura 2000 network, it covers a substantial inland valley landscape of roughly 5,627 hectares. The site sits within the Mediterranean ecoregion and is entirely terrestrial, with its conservation importance rooted almost entirely in the diversity of birdlife it supports.
The valley is recognized for the unusually high number of protected bird species recorded within its boundaries, including many migratory, raptor, and passerine species of European conservation concern. While no specific habitat types are formally protected within the site, the landscape mosaic of the valley likely supports a varied bird community spanning woodland, scrub, farmland, and seasonal water-influenced zones typical of inland Cyprus.
Designated in April 2019, Koilada Ezousas represents a relatively recent but strategically important addition to Cyprus's Natura 2000 network. Its inclusion strengthens the network of protected valleys and inland corridors across the island that together support breeding, passage, and wintering populations of birds across the eastern Mediterranean flyway.
