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ES139
Mountains of Barcelona
Location Spain, Cataluña
Central coordinates 2o 1.00' East  41o 39.00' North
IBA criteria B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C6
Area 124,000 ha
Altitude 200 - 1,236m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information This is an important area for species characteristic of the Mediterranean region, and cliff-nesting species.

Site description Calcareous mountains covered by Pinus forests and above 600 m by Quercus forest. The adjacent plain contains cereal crops, maquis and alluvial forest.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus resident  1996  22 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus breeding  1996  16-17 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus resident  1996  3 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis non-breeding  1996  2,000-4,000 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Stock Dove Columba oenas breeding  1996  500-700 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
Common Wood-pigeon Columba palumbus resident  1996  10,000-40,000 breeding pairs  medium  B3  Least Concern 
European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur breeding  1996  6,000-8,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Barn Owl Tyto alba resident  1996  500 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo resident  1996  40-60 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Tawny Owl Strix aluco resident  1996  700-1,500 breeding pairs  good  B3  Least Concern 
Little Owl Athene noctua resident  1996  600-800 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus breeding  1996  4,000-6,000 breeding pairs  good  B2, C2  Least Concern 
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster breeding  1996  800-1,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis resident  1996  700-1,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Not Recognised 
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica breeding  1996  4,000-10,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius resident  1996  300-400 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Gallifa-Cingles de Bert - ES5110008 Birds Directive 7,211 protected area contained by site 7,211  
Masss del Montseny - ES5110001 Habitats Directive 29,034 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Montserrat Nature Park 3,992 protected area contained by site 3,630  
Montserrat-Roques Blanques-riu Llobregat - ES5110012 Birds Directive 7,270 protected area contained by site 7,270  
Riu Congost - ES5110025 Habitats Directive 358 protected area overlaps with site 175  
Sant Lloren del Munt I L'obac Nature Park 9,638 protected area contained by site 9,638  
Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac - ES5110010 Birds Directive 16,083 protected area contained by site 16,083  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Broadleaved evergreen woodland; Mixed woodland; Native coniferous woodland  26%
Shrubland Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis  26%
Grassland Steppes and dry calcareous grassland  -
Caves Caves  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Other urban and industrial areas; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Ruderal land  26%
Rocky areas Inland cliffs; Scree & boulders  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 30%
forestry 50%
hunting -
urban/industrial/transport -
tourism/recreation -

Management considerations Threats in the mountains include land abandonment, fires, hunting, the erection of powerlines, and uncontrolled recreational activities which cause particular disturbance to raptors. In the plains, increasing urban development is a major threat.

Protection status National Partial International None3,630 ha of IBA covered by Natural Park (Muntanya de Montserrat, 3,630 ha). 9,638 ha of IBA covered by Natural Park (Sant Llorenc de Munt i L'Obac, 9,638 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mountains of Barcelona. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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