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FR212
Gorges de la Dourbie et causses avoisinants
Location France, Midi-Pyrénées
Central coordinates 2o 11.00' East  44o 5.00' North
IBA criteria A1, B2, C1, C6
Area 23,000 ha
Altitude 360 - 1,200m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Site description This site comprises rocky habitats, a river, agricultural land, woodland and garrigue.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus breeding  1991  3-4 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus breeding  1991  5-10 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus breeding  1991  4-8 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1991  3-7 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax breeding  1991  10-20 breeding pairs  -  A1, C1, C6  Near Threatened 
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo breeding  1991  12 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black woodpecker Dryocopus martius breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  B2, C6  Near Threatened 
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
CAUSSE NOIR - FR9101381 Habitats Directive 6,205 protected area overlaps with site 2,365  
CAUSSE NOIR - FR9112014 Birds Directive 6,116 protected area overlaps with site 2,365  
Causse Noir et ses corniches - FR7300855 Habitats Directive 13,990 protected area overlaps with site 3,558  
Cévennes National Park - Core Area 91,279 protected area overlaps with site 6,400  
FR219 UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 9,600 protected area overlaps with site 6,400  
Gorges de la Dourbie - FR7300850 Habitats Directive 7,087 protected area overlaps with site 6,134  
Gorges de la Dourbie et causses avoisinants - FR7312007 Birds Directive 28,116 protected area overlaps with site 19,879  
Gorges de Trevezel - FR7300851 Habitats Directive 396 protected area contained by site 396  
Gorges du Tarn et de la Jonte - FR7312006 Birds Directive 5,841 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Les Alasses - FR7300857 Habitats Directive 580 protected area overlaps with site 127  
Les Cévennes - FR9110033 Birds Directive 92,044 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
MASSIF DE L'AIGOUAL ET DU LINGAS - FR9101371 Habitats Directive 10,593 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Native coniferous woodland  -
Shrubland Heathland; Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis  -
Grassland Steppes and dry calcareous grassland  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams  -
Caves Caves  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Perennial crops, orchards and groves  -
Rocky areas Inland cliffs; Scree & boulders  -

Land use

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

Management considerations Two subsites, Causses Noir and du Larzac, are threatened by agricultural intensification, forestry operations and tourism. Hunting pressure is also high.

Protection status National Partial International Partial6,400 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Parc National des Cévennes, 91,500 ha). 6,400 ha of IBA covered by Biosphere Reserve (9,600 ha). 6,400 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Les Cévennes, 84,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Gorges de la Dourbie et causses avoisinants. 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