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ES090
Bardenas Reales
Location Spain, Aragón,Navarra
Central coordinates 1o 30.00' West  42o 10.00' North
IBA criteria A3, B1iii, B2, C2, C6
Area 55,900 ha
Altitude 290 - 646m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information Breeding birds include four of the 20 species in Europe that are restricted to the Mediterranean biome (when breeding). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Otis tarda (non-breeding).

Site description An area of steppe along the River Ebro. The site has a mixture of non-irrigated cereal cultivation, dry grassland, scrub and small Pinus woods.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus breeding  1995  50-55 breeding pairs  good  B1iii, B2, C2, C6  Endangered 
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus non-breeding  1994  200 individuals  good  B1iii, C2  Endangered 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1995  6-10 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos resident  1995  6-7 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax resident  1995  10-20 breeding pairs  good  C6  Near Threatened 
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata resident  1990  30-50 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis resident  1990  40-60 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo resident  1990  15-20 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Red-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus ruficollis breeding  1995  frequent [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax resident  1995  500 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens resident  1994  1,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti resident  1994  400 breeding pairs  good  B2, C2, C6  Near Threatened 
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata breeding  1995  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura resident  1995  100 breeding pairs  poor  A3, B2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica resident  1995  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Bardenas Reales - ES2200037 Habitats Directive 57,601 protected area overlaps with site 39,884  
Caídas de la Negra Nature Reserve 1,926 protected area contained by site 1,926  
El Bu Natural Reserve 460 protected area contained by site 460  
EL PLANO - BLANCA ALTA - ES0000171 Birds Directive 8,857 protected area contained by site 8,857  
LAGUNAS Y CARRIZALES DE CINCO VILLAS - ES0000289 Birds Directive 358 protected area overlaps with site 105  
LOMA LA NEGRA - BARDENAS - ES0000292 Birds Directive 6,417 protected area contained by site 6,417  
LOMA NEGRA - ES2430079 Habitats Directive 6,927 protected area overlaps with site 6,384  
RINCON DEL BU - LA NASA - TRIPAZUL - ES0000172 Birds Directive 3,651 protected area contained by site 3,651  
Vedado de Egüaras Natural Reserve 500 protected area contained by site 500  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis  40%
Grassland Dry siliceous grassland  30%
Rocky areas Inland cliffs  10%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  50%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 100%
hunting 95%
military 5%

Management considerations There is a high level of disturbance from visitors, severe overgrazing and an increasing use of irrigation of arable crops.

Protection status National Low International None1,926 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Caidas de la Negra, 1,926 ha). 460 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (El Bu, 460 ha). 500 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Vedado de Egüaras, 500 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bardenas Reales. 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