Background

The Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway is the second most important flyway for migratory soaring birds (raptors, storks, pelicans and some ibis) in the world, with over 1.5 million birds of 39 species, including 6 globally threatened species, using this corridor between their breeding grounds in Europe and West Asia and wintering areas in Africa each year. The aim of the “Mainstreaming Conservation of Migratory Soaring Birds into Key Productive Sectors along the Rift Valley/Red Sea Flyway” (MSB) project is to mainstream migratory soaring bird considerations into the productive sectors along the flyway that pose the greatest risk to the safe migration of these birds-principally hunting, energy, agriculture and waste management-while promoting activities in sectors which could benefit from these birds, such as ecotourism. The project will pilot a new, innovative and cost-effective approach, termed "double-mainstreaming", that seeks to integrate flyway issues into existing national or donor-funded "vehicles" of reform or change management in the key sectors through the provision of technical tools, content, services and support.
 
The UNDP through the MSB project aims to do a study on the bottleneck sites along the Soaring Birds Flyway in Lebanon in order to use it as a suitable recommendation and suggestion document for updating the National Physical Land Use Plan (NPLP) that was issued through the decree No. 2366 dated 22/06/2009.
Based on the signed Memorandum of Understanding between CDR and UNDP dated 28 February 2011, the CDR has agreed to incorporate the soaring birds’ flyway conservation recommendations and data into the NPLP and to identify and follow up on the proper mechanism to implement this information while taking into consideration the priorities of the national stakeholders.
 
One Individual consultant: an Ornithologist will be hired to do this study have to assist the MoE and the UNDP in updating the related information on soaring bird’s flyway through the compilation of information on existing bottleneck/ existing IBAs sites, and the identification of new bottlenecks/hotspots. The Ornithologist is expected to deliver all the achieved results and information to a GIS expert that will be hired later with an objective to update the NPLP maps. The Ornithologist will also coordinate with the CDR to tailor the info to the National Physical Land Use Plan (NPLP). 
 
In order to meet the requirements for reaching its objectives, and for the sake of high-quality solutions, the project is driven to hire an Ornithology expert with extensive technical experience with the following specialties: Ornithology and Ecology with bird assessment skills. He/she should preferably possess national, regional and international knowledge of the migratory birds of Lebanon.
 
Based on the above, the present Terms of Reference (TORs) are intended to summarize the tasks that will be carried out, and the deliverables to be submitted by the expert to the project management.

Duties and Responsibilities

The following tasks must be fulfilled by the Ornithologist:
 
Inception Report detailing the tasks & the proposed methodology for the implementation of the mission.
  • Task 1: Identification of important migratory birds species in Lebanon;
  • Task 2: Identification of bottlenecks/hotspots areas in Lebanon;
  • Task 3: Set-up a priority list of the selected areas;
  • Task 4: Develop recommendations to incorporate the identified sites in the existing NPLP;
  • Task 5: Develop guidelines on land use in relation to the identified bottlenecks/hotspots sites;
  • Task 6: Develop the bottlenecks report.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies:

  • Good communication skills;
  • Good analytical skills;
  • Teamwork;
  • Familiarity with the status of bird species, including their threat level, their distribution and their trends at global, regional and national scales.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Post-graduate degree in ornithology, natural resources management or other relevant academic.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience is required;
  • The incumbent must be familiar with the following specialties: Ornithology and Ecology with bird assessment skills. He/she should preferably possess national, regional and international knowledge of the migratory birds of Lebanon;
  • The incumbent should offer expertise and prior knowledge about the scientific ornithological scene in Lebanon and should preferably respond to the selection criteria below:
  • Proven extensive experience and technical ability to conduct research studies and a good technical knowledge in the fields related to migratory soaring bird species and participatory approaches;
  • Knowledge of UNDP project implementation procedures, including reporting and monitoring highly preferable.

Language:

  • Fluent in English and Arabic.

Other:

Kindly refer to the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice and all related annexes by visiting the below link:

http://www.undp.org.lb/procurement/procurementDetail.cfm.