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ES251
Cádiz bay
Location Spain, Andalucía
Central coordinates 6o 20.00' West  36o 35.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 12,500 ha
Altitude 0 - 20m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

SEO/BirdLife



Ornithological information This is a very important area for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds, particularly waders.

Site description A shallow bay with a wide intertidal zone and a large saltpan complex. There are rivers, small lagoons, artificial channels and halophytic scrub. The main human activities are aquaculture, shellfish collection, research and salt production.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus non-breeding  1992  1,200 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta winter  1995  1,094 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1995  1,188 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata breeding  1987  present [units unknown]  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus winter  1991  436 individuals  good  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1992  2,000 breeding pairs  poor  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  1991  1,399 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1992  1,000 breeding pairs  poor  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus winter  1991  3,171 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1992  abundant [units unknown]  -  B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  1991  373 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  1991  465 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus winter  1991  1,630 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  1991  12,176 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1992  140 breeding pairs  poor  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis winter  1991  3,610 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus winter  1991  5,543 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1995  30 breeding pairs  poor  C2  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1991  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Bahía de Cádiz Nature Park 9,662 protected area contained by site 10,000  
BAHIA DE CADIZ - ES0000140 Birds Directive 10,522 protected area contained by site 10,522  
Complejo endorreico de Chiclana Natural Reserve 49 protected area contained by site 49  
COMPLEJO ENDORREICO DE CHICLANA - ES0000028 Birds Directive 793 protected area overlaps with site 451  
FONDOS MARINOS DE BAHIA DE CADIZ - ES6120009 Habitats Directive 7,035 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Isla de Trocadero Natural Landscape 525 protected area contained by site 525  
Marismas de Sancti - Petri Nature Area 170 protected area contained by site 170  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish and salt water; Water fringe vegetation  -
Coastline Lagoons; Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes; Tidal rivers & enclosed tidal waters  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture 80%
urban/industrial/transport -
nature conservation and research 100%

Management considerations There are a number of serious threats to the site. Aquaculture projects have caused the dredging of lagoons and saltpans and the destruction of islands used by breeding species. Shellfish collection impacts on the birds. The expansion of the Larus cachinnans colony (`Other' threats, above) and the presence of feral cats and dogs are also important threats. Other threats include intensive poaching, tourism developments and urban and industrial pollution.

Protection status National Partial International Low10,000 ha of IBA covered by Natural Park (Bahia de Cadiz, 10,000 ha). 49 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Complejo endorreico de Chiclana, 49 ha). 525 ha of IBA covered by Natural Landscape (Isla de Trocadero, 525 ha). 170 ha of IBA covered by Natural Landscape (Marismas de Sancti Petri, 170 ha). 49 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Lagunas de Chiclana: Laguna de Montellano y de Jel, 49 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Cádiz bay. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18/06/2013

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