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FR239
Camargue
Location France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Central coordinates 4o 36.00' East  43o 31.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 76,500 ha
Altitude 0 - 2m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information This is one of the most important sites for birds in France, regularly holding more than 20,000 waterbirds breeding, on passage and in winter. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet criteria: Falco naumanni (passage).

Site description The largest wetland area in France, comprising a large delta with beaches, sand-dunes, islands, saltwater lagoons, marshes, and slow-flowing rivers; woodlands, grasslands and agricultural land.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus winter  1997  4-120 individuals  -  B2  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna winter  1997  1,307-2,781 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera winter  1997  6,640-13,570 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope winter  1997  10,170-15,010 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos winter  1997  13,466-30,800 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata winter  1997  6,220-13,815 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca winter  1997  16,182-25,300 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina winter  1997  500-2,110 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina breeding  1997  200-300 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus breeding  1997  10,000-18,000 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1991  25-50 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1991  300 breeding pairs  -  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1991  50 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1991  400 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta winter  1997  13-1,289 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1997  1,000 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1997  1-2,783 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo passage  1997  6,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1997  50-80 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra winter  1997  16,500-30,779 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus breeding  1997  50-97 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1996  195-219 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  1997  599-1,944 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1997  439 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula passage  1997  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1997  145-170 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus passage  1997  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa passage  1997  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Near Threatened 
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus passage  1997  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea passage  1991  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1996  8-20 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei breeding  1997  580-800 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus breeding  1997  600-700 breeding pairs  -  C2  Least Concern 
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica breeding  1996  300 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia passage  1991  10-100 individuals  -  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1997  670-1,000 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1991  500-1,500 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1991  70-350 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding  1996  10 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida passage  1996  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Black Tern Chlidonias niger passage  1991  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
European Roller Coracias garrulus breeding  1991  10-100 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Near Threatened 
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  B3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds breeding  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Camargue Barcelona Convention 13,117 protected area contained by site 13,117  
Camargue National Nature Reserve 13,117 protected area contained by site 13,117  
Camargue UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 13,117 protected area contained by site 13,117  
Camargue Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 85,000 protected area overlaps with site 76,500  
CAMARGUE - FR9301592 Habitats Directive 113,729 protected area contains site 76,500  
Camargue - FR9310019 Birds Directive 221,062 protected area contains site 76,500  
LE PETIT RHONE - FR9101405 Habitats Directive 808 protected area overlaps with site 261  
LE RHONE AVAL - FR9301590 Habitats Directive 12,606 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
PETITE CAMARGUE - FR9101406 Habitats Directive 34,559 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Tour du Valat Private Reserve 3,481 protected area contained by site 3,481  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters; Water fringe vegetation  -
Coastline Lagoons; Rock stacks and islets; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches  -

Land use

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

Management considerations The area is threatened by the development of rice fields with associated modifications of water-levels, tourist development, the use of toxic chemicals in agriculture and air pollution from the chemical plants in Fos-sur-Mer.

Protection status National Partial International High13,117 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (La Camargue, 13,117 ha). 3,481 ha of IBA covered by Private Reserve (Tour du Valat, 3,481). 16,000 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Camargue, 16,000 ha). 76,500 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Camargue, 85,000 ha). 13,117 ha of IBA covered by Biosphere Reserve (13,117 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Camargue. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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