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ES280
La Serena
Location Spain, Extremadura
Central coordinates 5o 30.00' West  38o 50.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C6
Area 109,800 ha
Altitude 300 - 744m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information This is an area of exceptional importance for steppic species, although their populations have been declining since the 1980s.

Site description A large area of dry grassland with occasional areas of cereal cultivation. The grasslands are used for sheep grazing. There are three large dams on the site's rivers.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Black Stork Ciconia nigra passage  1992  140 individuals  good  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis breeding  1994  1,140 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1992  200 breeding pairs  poor  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Great Bustard Otis tarda resident  1996  800 breeding pairs  good  A1, B2, C1, C2, C6  Vulnerable 
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax resident  1996  2,500 breeding pairs  medium  A1, B2, C1, C2, C6  Near Threatened 
Common Crane Grus grus winter  1995  2,548 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus resident  1996  500 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1992  25 breeding pairs  poor  C6  Least Concern 
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata resident  1996  1,600 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis resident  1996  167 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra resident  1992  11,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
EMBALSE DE LA SERENA - ES0000397 Birds Directive 15,889 protected area overlaps with site 7,866  
EMBALSE DE ORELLANA Y SIERRA DE PELA - ES0000068 Birds Directive 42,610 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
EMBALSE DEL ZUJAR - ES0000399 Birds Directive 1,203 protected area contained by site 1,203  
LA SERENA - ES4310010 Habitats Directive 144,512 protected area overlaps with site 86,058  
LA SERENA Y SIERRAS PERIFÉRICAS - ES0000367 Birds Directive 153,702 protected area overlaps with site 92,015  
SIERRAS DE PEÑALSORDO Y CAPILLA - ES0000335 Birds Directive 4,545 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland   5%
Grassland Dry siliceous grassland  50%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 100%
hunting 100%

Management considerations Enlargement of the area of irrigated crops, the building of another dam and several other infrastructure projects (oil pipeline, gas pipeline, electric powerlines) are the most important threats. Crop spraying is a further threat. The area is prone to drought.

Protection status National None International None

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: La Serena. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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