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close| Location | Spain, Islas Canarias |
| Central coordinates | 18o 1.00' West 27o 44.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, B2, B3, C1, C6 |
| Area | 2,300 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 1,500m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information The site is the only area on El Hierro that supports Columba bollii. It is also important for endemic subspecies of several forest passerines.
Site description A large area covering parts of northern and western El Hierro. Heath, scrub and laurel Laurus forest are interspersed with exposed bedrock and inland cliffs that support rocky vegetation.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark-tailed Laurel Pigeon Columba bollii | resident | 1993 | uncommon [units unknown] | - | A1, B2, C1 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs | resident | 1996 | present [units unknown] | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Island Canary Serinus canaria | resident | 1996 | abundant [units unknown] | - | B3 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Hierro - ES0000103 | Birds Directive | 12,406 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,767 | |
| Frontera | Rural Park | 12,488 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,400 |
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| Frontera - ES7020099 | Habitats Directive | 8,807 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,305 | |
| Gorreta y Salmor - ES0000104 | Birds Directive | 595 | protected area overlaps with site | 391 | |
| La Caldereta - ES7020026 | Habitats Directive | 18 | protected area overlaps with site | 16 | |
| Mencáfete - ES7020001 | Habitats Directive | 455 | protected area overlaps with site | 341 | |
| Mencáfite | Integral Natural Reserve | 463 | protected area contained by site | 463 | |
| Roques de Salmor - ES7020002 | Habitats Directive | 4 | protected area overlaps with site | 1 | |
| Tibataje | Special Natural Reserve | 601 | protected area overlaps with site | 500 | |
| Tibataje - ES7020003 | Habitats Directive | 593 | protected area overlaps with site | 390 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Broadleaved evergreen woodland | 26% |
| Shrubland | Heathland; Scrub | 26% |
| Rocky areas | Inland cliffs | - |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Perennial crops, orchards and groves | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 26% |
| forestry | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Management considerations The main threats are posed by the cutting of branches for use in cultivation and illegal hunting. The local government has run conservation campaigns for Calonectris diomedea (1993-1996) and Columba bollii.
Protection status National Partial International High1,400 ha of IBA covered by Rural Park (Frontera, 12,488 ha). 463 ha of IBA covered by Integral Nature Reserve (Mencáfite, 463 ha). 500 ha of IBA covered by Special Natural Reserve (Tibataje, 601 ha). 1,400 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (El Hierro, 11,980 ha). 900 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Gorreta y Salmor, 922 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Frontera laurel forest. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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