email a friend
printable version
ES014
Babia-Somiedo
Location Spain, Asturias,Castilla y León
Central coordinates 6o 0.00' West  43o 10.00' North
IBA criteria A3, B1iii, B2, B3, C2, C6
Area 166,860 ha
Altitude 800 - 2,417m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information Breeding birds include five of the 10 species in Europe that are restricted to the Eurasian high-montane biome (when breeding).

Site description A large mountainous area in the Cordillera Cantábrica. The site is characterized by deciduous woodland, scrub, grassland and narrow valleys with many small villages and some cultivation. The area is used for cattle-grazing, hunting, forestry and tourism and some mining.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus resident  1996  30-40 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix resident  1996  110 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus resident  1996  12-16 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus breeding  1996  20 breeding pairs  poor  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus breeding  1996  30-40 breeding pairs  medium  B1iii, B2, C2, C6  Endangered 
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus breeding  1996  19-24 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus resident  1996  12-16 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos resident  1996  6-7 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius resident  1996  1-4 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Black woodpecker Dryocopus martius resident  1996  5 breeding pairs  poor  C6  Least Concern 
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus resident  1996  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria resident  1996  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush Monticola saxatilis breeding  1996  35-50 breeding pairs  poor  B2  Least Concern 
White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis resident  1996  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris resident  1996  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Alpine Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella resident  1996  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
ALTO SIL - ES0000210 Birds Directive 43,752 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Caldoveiro - ES1200012 Habitats Directive 12,709 protected area overlaps with site 10,174  
Fuentes del Narcea y del Ibias - ES0000055 Birds Directive 51,042 protected area overlaps with site 8,303  
MONTAÑA CENTRAL DE LEÓN - ES4130050 Habitats Directive 34,352 protected area overlaps with site 5,165  
Montovo-La Mesa - ES1200010 Habitats Directive 14,926 protected area overlaps with site 12,348  
OMAÑAS - ES0000364 Birds Directive 24,135 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Peña Manteca-Genestaza - ES1200041 Habitats Directive 7,871 protected area overlaps with site 1,221  
Peña Ubiña - ES1200011 Habitats Directive 13,281 protected area contained by site 13,281  
Ro Trubia - ES1200052 Habitats Directive 81 protected area overlaps with site 19  
Somiedo National Game Reserve 87,900 protected area overlaps with site 86,000  
Somiedo Nature Park 29,122 protected area contained by site 29,122  
Somiedo - ES0000054 Birds Directive 29,137 protected area contained by site 29,137  
Ubiña-La Mesa - ES0000315 Birds Directive 39,293 protected area overlaps with site 35,175  
Valgrande - ES1200046 Habitats Directive 4,752 protected area overlaps with site 4,220  
VALLE DE SAN EMILIANO - ES4130035 Birds Directive 55,748 protected area overlaps with site 52,007  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland  15%
Shrubland Heathland; Scrub  20%
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Humid grasslands  40%
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams  5%
Rocky areas Inland cliffs; Scree & boulders  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 60%
hunting 90%
water management 6%
not utilised 30%
tourism/recreation -
forestry -
urban/industrial/transport -

Management considerations The most important threats are over-exploitation of game, mining and increased infrastructural development for tourism.

Protection status National Partial International Partial86,000 ha of IBA covered by National Game Reserve (Somiedo, 87,900 ha). 29,122 ha of IBA covered by Natural Park (Somiedo, 29,122 ha). 29,122 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Somiedo, 29,122 ha).

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Babia-Somiedo. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife