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FR176
Bassin d'Arcachon et Banc d'Arguin
Location France, Aquitaine
Central coordinates 1o 7.00' West  44o 40.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 20,100 ha
Altitude 0 - 2m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on passage and in winter, on a regular basis.

Site description A bay and estuary with islands and sand-dunes, Zostera beds, saltwater and freshwater lagoons, wet meadows, marshes and mudflats.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greylag Goose Anser anser passage  1997  15,000-20,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla winter  1997  31,841-39,701 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata passage  1997  1,000-2,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta winter  1997  680-2,560 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta passage  1997  3,000-5,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia breeding  1997  3 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia winter  1997  20-37 individuals  -  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia passage  1997  100 individuals  -  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta winter  1997  55-1,810 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1997  630 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Osprey Pandion haliaetus passage  1991  10 individuals  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black Kite Milvus migrans breeding  1991  30 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus breeding  1991  5 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus breeding  1991  3-5 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  1997  8-136 individuals  -  B2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  1997  2,000-3,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola passage  1997  2,000-3,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula winter  1997  18-105 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1997  30-40 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  1997  2,000-3,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  1997  310-2,501 individuals  -  B2  Near Threatened 
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus passage  1997  500-1,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus passage  1997  1,000-2,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus passage  1997  3,000-50,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  1997  13,843-25,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina passage  1997  20,000-30,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea passage  1997  1,000-20,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1997  4,200 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica breeding  1991  120-130 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Banc d'Arguin National Nature Reserve 1,000 protected area contained by site 1,000  
Bassin d'Arcachon Hunting Reserve 600 protected area contained by site 600  
Bassin d'Arcachon : Banc d'Arguin - FR7210015 Birds Directive 0 protected area overlaps with site 498  
Bassin d'Arcachon : Embouchure de la Leyre - FR7210043 Birds Directive 0 protected area overlaps with site 1,066  
Bassin d'Arcachon : Prs sals d'Ars - FR7210024 Birds Directive 0 protected area overlaps with site 287  
BASSIN D'ARCACHON ET CAP FERRET - FR7200679 Habitats Directive 22,684 protected area overlaps with site 18,323  
DUNES DU LITTORAL GIRONDIN DE LA POINTE DE GRAVE AU CAP FERRET - FR7200678 Habitats Directive 6,470 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Parc ornithologique du Teich Private Reserve 120 protected area contained by site 120  
Prés salés d'Arès et de Lège-Cap-Ferret National Nature Reserve 495 protected area contained by site 495  
Pres d'Ares et de Lege Nature Reserve 495 protected area contained by site 495  
VALLEES DE LA GRANDE ET DE LA PETITE LEYRE - FR7200721 Habitats Directive 5,686 protected area overlaps with site 368  
ZONES HUMIDES DE L'ARRIERE DUNE DU LITTORAL GIRONDIN - FR7200681 Habitats Directive 11,200 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland  -
Grassland Humid grasslands  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters; Water fringe vegetation  -
Sea Sea inlets and coastal features  -
Coastline Lagoons; Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture -
hunting -
tourism/recreation -
urban/industrial/transport -

Management considerations Threats include pollution from anti-fouling paint used on boats, intensive hunting and tourism.

Protection status National Partial International Partial1,000 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Banc d'Arguin, 1,000 ha). 495 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Prés d'Arès et de Lège, 495 ha). 600 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Bassin d'Arachon, 600 ha). 120 ha of IBA covered by Private Reserve (Parc ornithologique du Teich, 120 ha). 500 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Bassin d'Arcachon: Banc d'Arguin, 500 ha). 1,100 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Emboudure de la Leyre, 1,100 ha). 495 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Prés salés d'Arès, 495 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bassin d'Arcachon et Banc d'Arguin. 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