email a friend
printable version
FR123
Brenne centrale
Location France, Centre
Central coordinates 1o 13.00' East  46o 45.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B1iv, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 22,000 ha
Altitude 100 m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds. The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on passage and in winter, on a regular basis. The site is a migratory bottleneck, where more than 3,000 Grus grus regularly pass. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (wintering); Tetrax tetrax (3-4 breeding pairs, passage).

Site description The site includes ponds, marshes, reedbeds (Phragmites), wet grasslands, deciduous woodland, heathland, hedgerows and bocage.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Gadwall Anas strepera winter  1997  33-818 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera passage  1997  100-300 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata winter  1997  259-1,427 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata passage  1997  600 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina winter  1997  540-5,137 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina passage  1997  1,000-4,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1997  30-35 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  1995  8-12 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1994  35-45 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1994  150 breeding pairs  -  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1997  15-20 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus breeding  1991  8-15 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black Kite Milvus migrans breeding  1991  15-20 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1991  55-60 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus passage  1997  500-5,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus breeding  1991  10-15 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1995  6-7 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding  1996  650-670 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida passage  1996  1,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Black Tern Chlidonias niger breeding  1996  7-8 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus breeding  1991  15-25 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis breeding  1991  50-75 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio breeding  1991  50-75 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes passage  1997  3,000 individuals  -  B1iv   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
BRENNE - FR2410003 Birds Directive 58,311 protected area contains site 22,000  
Chérine National Nature Reserve 145 protected area contained by site 145  
FRN057 Hunting Reserve 112 protected area contained by site 112  
GRANDE BRENNE - FR2400534 Habitats Directive 58,052 protected area contains site 22,000  
La Brenne Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 140,000 protected area contains site 22,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Mixed woodland  -
Shrubland Heathland  -
Grassland Dry siliceous grassland  -
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Ruderal land  -

Land use

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

Management considerations The conversion of wet meadows to hunting ponds and the intensification of fish farming are the main threats.

Protection status National Low International High145 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Chérine, 145 ha). 112 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (112 ha). 22,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (La Brenne, 140,000 ha). 145 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Brenne: Marais de Chérine, 145 ha).

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Brenne centrale. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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