email a friend
printable version
FR235
Petite Camargue laguno-marine
Location France, Languedoc-Roussillon
Central coordinates 4o 16.00' East  43o 31.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C6
Area 21,000 ha
Altitude 0 - 9m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information The site is particularly important for many wetland breeding and wintering species.

Site description The site includes a brackish lagoon, saltmarshes, coastal dunes, riverine forest, Pinus woods, vineyards and other cultivation.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna winter  1991  1,000-1,500 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  1991  2,000-5,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus passage  1991  5,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1997  10-15 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  1997  1-10 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1997  1-150 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1991  100-800 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1991  1,000-4,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Black Kite Milvus migrans breeding  1997  10-15 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1997  15-25 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus breeding  1997  62-65 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1991  300-400 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  1991  present [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1997  20-50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis breeding  1991  1,800 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei breeding  1997  100-250 breeding pairs  -  C2  Least Concern 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus breeding  1997  50-120 breeding pairs  -  C2  Least Concern 
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica breeding  1991  150-400 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1991  1-800 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1991  600-800 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1991  150-400 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
BANCS SABLEUX DE L'ESPIGUETTE - FR9102014 Habitats Directive 8,970 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
CAMARGUE - FR9301592 Habitats Directive 113,729 protected area overlaps with site 4,528  
Camargue - FR9310019 Birds Directive 221,062 protected area overlaps with site 4,831  
COTE LANGUEDOCIENNE - FR9112035 Birds Directive 71,874 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
La Petite Camargue Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 37,000 protected area overlaps with site 21,000  
LE PETIT RHONE - FR9101405 Habitats Directive 808 protected area overlaps with site 122  
Petit Rhone Hunting Reserve 0 protected area contained by site 0  
PETITE CAMARGUE - FR9101406 Habitats Directive 34,559 protected area overlaps with site 15,809  
PETITE CAMARGUE LAGUNO-MARINE - FR9112013 Birds Directive 15,681 protected area overlaps with site 14,473  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Native coniferous woodland  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters; Water fringe vegetation  -
Coastline Lagoons; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Perennial crops, orchards and groves  -
Rocky areas Scree & boulders  -

Land use

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

Management considerations Declining water quality, an increasing number of tourists, abandonment of salt-pans and the development of rice-fields are the main threats.

Protection status National Low International HighPart of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Petit Rhône). 21,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (La Petit Camargue, 37,000 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: Petite Camargue laguno-marine. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013

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