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ES219
Wetlands of western Almería
Location Spain, Andalucía
Central coordinates 2o 40.00' West  36o 40.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C3, C6
Area 3,000 ha
Altitude 0 - 50m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Marmaronetta angustirostris (9 wintering individuals).

Site description A group of five wetlands south-west of the city of Almería. The site includes a coastal strip 15 km long, to the south of Roquetas del Mar, with a sand beach, sand-dunes and large seasonal lagoons with sparse halophytic vegetation and reedbeds (Phragmites). Saltpans occupy 450 ha.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris resident  1995  1 breeding pairs  good  B2  Vulnerable 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala resident  1996  61 breeding pairs  good  A1, A4i, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C6  Endangered 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala non-breeding  1995  561 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Endangered 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus non-breeding  1995  1,200 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  1995  6 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1995  208 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus resident  1995  126 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus non-breeding  1995  800 individuals  medium  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii non-breeding  1995  2,000 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Near Threatened 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1995  36 breeding pairs  good  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Albufera de Adra Nature Reserve 65 protected area contained by site 65  
Albufera de Adra Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 75 protected area contained by site 65  
ALBUFERA DE ADRA - ES6110001 Birds Directive 135 protected area contained by site 135  
FONDOS MARINOS DE PUNTA ENTINAS-SABINAR - ES6110009 Habitats Directive 3,964 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Punta Entinas - Sabinar Natural Landscape 1,960 protected area contained by site 1,960  
Punta Entinas - Sabinar Nature Reserve 785 protected area contained by site 785  
PUNTA ENTINAS-SABINAR - ES0000048 Birds Directive 1,945 protected area overlaps with site 2,296  

Habitats

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

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
tourism/recreation -
agriculture -

Management considerations The major threats include huge numbers of tourists, over-exploitation of groundwater, drainage, infilling of wetland areas, urban development and agricultural intensification. Oxyura jamaicensis is regularly recorded and threatens Oxyura leucocephala.

Protection status National High International High65 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Albufera de Adra, 65 ha). 785 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Punta Entinas-Sabinar, 785 ha). 1,960 ha of IBA covered by Natural Landscape (Punta Entinas-Sabinar, 1,960 ha). 65 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Albuferas de Adra, 65 ha). 2,745 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Punta Entinas-Sabinar, 2,745 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Wetlands of western Almería. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013

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