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close| Location | France, Languedoc-Roussillon |
| Central coordinates | 4o 24.00' East 43o 55.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, B2, B3, C1, C6 |
| Area | 19,500 ha |
| Altitude | 28 - 227m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information This is an important area for breeding raptors and species associated with Mediterranean habitats. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (passage).
Site description An area of garrigue and forest, traversed by the River Gardon, with associated cliffs and a canyon.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax | breeding | 1991 | 5-10 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Black Kite Milvus migrans | breeding | 1991 | 5-10 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus | breeding | 1997 | 2 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Endangered |
| Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus | breeding | 1991 | 10-45 breeding pairs | - | B3, C6 | Least Concern |
| Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus | breeding | 1996 | 2 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax | breeding | 1996 | 30 breeding pairs | - | A1, C1, C6 | Near Threatened |
| European Roller Coracias garrulus | breeding | 1991 | 10-15 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Near Threatened |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAMP DES GARIGUES - FR9112031 | Birds Directive | 2,089 | protected area contained by site | 2,089 | |
| GORGES DU GARDON - FR9110081 | Birds Directive | 7,024 | protected area overlaps with site | 6,314 | |
| LE GARDON ET SES GORGES - FR9101395 | Habitats Directive | 7,024 | protected area overlaps with site | 6,315 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Broadleaved evergreen woodland | - |
| Shrubland | Heathland; Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis | - |
| Grassland | Steppes and dry calcareous grassland | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater | - |
| Rocky areas | Inland cliffs; Scree & boulders | - |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Ruderal land | - |
| Caves | Caves | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| hunting | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Management considerations This area is highly threatened by the development of tourist activities (including boating), water eutrophication, the abandonment of pastoralism and urbanization.
Protection status National None International Low328 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Gorges du Gardon, 328 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Gorges du Gardon. 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
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