email a friend
printable version
ES166
Santa Pola salt-pans
Location Spain, País Valenciano
Central coordinates 0o 35.00' West  38o 13.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C6
Area 2,496 ha
Altitude 0 - 10m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding and wintering waterbirds.

Site description An area of saltpans surrounded by artificial freshwater and brackish ponds with dense plant cover.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris resident  1996  6-10 breeding pairs  good  A1, A4i, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C6  Vulnerable 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina resident  1995  321 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina winter  1997  32-421 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  1997  614-1,922 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1995  21 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1995  4 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1995  26 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  1997  875-1,595 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta resident  1995  593 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus resident  1995  328 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1995  174 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1995  148 breeding pairs  good  B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding  1995  80-90 breeding pairs  good  B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Dunes de Guardamar - ES5213025 Habitats Directive 726 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Illots de Tabarca - ES0000214 Birds Directive 14,300 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Salinas de Santa Pola Nature Park 2,500 protected area contained by site 2,496  
Salinas de Santa Pola Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 2,496 protected area contained by site 2,496  
Salinas de Santa Pola. - ES0000120 Birds Directive 2,504 protected area contains site 2,496  
Tabarca - ES5213024 Habitats Directive 14,557 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Coastline Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches  -
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
hunting 90%
nature conservation and research 5%
urban/industrial/transport 50%

Management considerations Threats come from the high hunting pressure, a central access road and urbanization along the beach zone. A management plan for the Natural Park has existed since 1994.

Protection status National High International High2,496 ha of IBA covered by Natural Park (Salinas de Santa Pola, 2,496 ha). 2,496 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Salinas de Santa Pola, 2,496 ha). 2,496 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Salinas de Santa Pola, 2,496 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: Santa Pola salt-pans. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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