email a friend
printable version
close| Location | Spain, Castilla y León,La Rioja |
| Central coordinates | 2o 0.00' West 41o 55.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4ii, B1iii, B2, C2, C6 |
| Area | 10,500 ha |
| Altitude | 550 - 1,187m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information The site is important for cliff-nesting raptors, with the largest Gyps fulvus colony in La Rioja.
Site description A mountainous area in the Northern Iberian mountain range, including the Alhama river valley. The site comprises limestone cliffs, deforested slopes with open scrub, dry grassland and occasional patches of Quercus woodland. There are also small areas of cereal cultivation, olive-groves and orchards. The area is used for cattle-grazing.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus | resident | 1994 | 5 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus | breeding | 1994 | 7 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Endangered |
| Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus | resident | 1994 | 189 breeding pairs | good | A4ii, B1iii, B2, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus | resident | 1994 | 2 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo | resident | 1994 | 9 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIGUDOSA-SAN FELICES - ES4170055 | Habitats Directive | 6,733 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,105 | |
| SIERRA DE ALCARAMA Y VALLE DEL ALHAMA - ES0000063 | Birds Directive | 10,236 | protected area overlaps with site | 8,884 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved evergreen woodland | - |
| Shrubland | Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis | 26% |
| Grassland | Steppes and dry calcareous grassland | 26% |
| Rocky areas | Inland cliffs | - |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Arable land; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Ruderal land | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| not utilised | 26% |
Management considerations The only major threat is a plan to enlarge a dam.
Protection status National None International Partial8,600 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Sierra de Alcarama y Río Alhama, 8,600 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: Alcarama mountain and Alhama river. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
|
|