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PT053
Costa do Corvo
Location Portugal, Azores
Central coordinates 31o 6.00' West  39o 42.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4ii, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B2, C2, C4, C6
Area 374 ha
Altitude 0 - 775m
Year of IBA assessment 2002

Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves



Site description This IBA includes the coast since the coastline up to the top of the seacliffs in most of the island of Corvo, including the islets of Ponta do Marco. Seacliffs varies between 200m and 700m. Coastal habitats are dominated by macaronesean woodland and cobbles.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea breeding  2001  33,487 breeding pairs  medium  A4ii, B1ii, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis breeding  1997  145-295 breeding pairs  medium  B1ii, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii breeding  2000  166 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  2000  353 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - seabirds breeding  2001  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Costa e Caldeirão - Ilha do Corvo - PTCOR0001 Habitats Directive 964 protected area overlaps with site 319  
Costa e Caldeirão - Ilha do Corvo - PTZPE0020 Birds Directive 642 protected area overlaps with site 332  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland Scrub  -
Coastline Sea cliffs and rocky shores  -
Introduced/exotic vegetation   -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
not utilised -
tourism/recreation -

Management considerations Feral terrestrial mammals (dogs, cats, rats and weasels) affect most of the seabirds, especially those who nest in holes and burrows. Capture of Cory's Shearwaters exist in small scale. Invasive plant species like the cane reduces the available nesting habitat for seabirds. Natural land slides occur often. The absence of the establishment of the SPA by the regional law constitutes a weakness in its surveillance and legal protection. There is a management plan for the SPA Costa do Corvo.

Protection status National:NoneInternational:SPA Costa e Caldeirão; SIC Costa e Caldeirão

References Del Nevo et al.(1990)Monteiro & Groz(1999)Monteiro et al. (1998,1999, inedito)Pereira et al.(2000)Rodrigues & Nunes (2002)

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Costa do Corvo. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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