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close| Location | Portugal, Azores |
| Central coordinates | 27o 57.00' West 39o 3.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, A4ii, B1i, B1ii, B2, C2, C6 |
| Area | 11 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 57m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2002 |
Ornithological information Important for breeding seabirds, especially for the Madeiran Storm Petrels, for which both 'cold' and 'hot' populations exist. Only record of breeding attempt of Red-billed Tropicbird and obly place where two Petrels of the genus Pterodroma were listened and captured.
Site description Ilhéu da Praia is a rocky islet with high seacliffs on its northern side and a gravel beach on its southern shore. In the top of the islet a plateau with short grasses covers most of the area.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis | breeding | 1997 | 50 breeding pairs | medium | B1ii, B2, C2 | Least Concern |
| Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii | breeding | 1997 | 1-10 breeding pairs | poor | B2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro | breeding | 1997 | 400-500 breeding pairs | medium | A4ii, B1ii, B2, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii | breeding | 2000 | 31 breeding pairs | good | C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | breeding | 2000 | 951 breeding pairs | good | A4i, B1i, B2, C2 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilhéu da Praia - Ilha Graciosa - PTZPE0030 | Birds Directive | 12 | protected area overlaps with site | 6 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Broadleaved evergreen woodland | - |
| Shrubland | - | |
| Coastline | Rock stacks and islets; Sea cliffs and rocky shores | - |
| Introduced/exotic vegetation | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| not utilised | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Management considerations The islet of Ilhéu da Praia is very disturbed by local leisure activities. Capture of Cory's Shearwaters (chicks and adults) has been a common practice for fishermen. Introduced rabbits increased soil erosion and destroy many seabird nests, but after their erradication in 1997 the situation has ammeliorated. Active management of the Ilhéu da Praia is due to a LIFE project and knowledge about the seabirds is quite good. 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 Ilhéu da Praia.
Protection status National noneInternational Special Protection Area Ilhéu da Praia.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ilhéu da Praia. 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
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