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FR245
Marais entre Crau et Grand Rhône: Meyranne, Chanoine, Plan de Bourg et Salins du Caban
Location France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Central coordinates 4o 48.00' East  43o 29.00' North
IBA criteria A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 5,650 ha
Altitude 0 - 10m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds in winter, on a regular basis (including Anas crecca 4,500; Anas platyrhynchos 3,000; Anas clypeata 1,000; Fulica atra 7,000).

Site description An area of marshland lying between the Crau steppes and the River Rhone, alongside the Camargue.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina winter  1991  250 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1991  25 breeding pairs  -  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1991  80 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1991  30 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1991  30-100 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1991  100 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1991  20 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1991  10 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1991  10 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1991  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa passage  1991  3,000-4,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Near Threatened 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1991  30 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
European Roller Coracias garrulus breeding  1991  20 breeding pairs  -  C6  Near Threatened 
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  C2, C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1991  20,000 individuals  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Crau - FR9310064 Birds Directive 39,333 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
CRAU CENTRALE - CRAU SECHE - FR9301595 Habitats Directive 31,607 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
MARAIS DE LA VALLEE DES BAUX ET MARAIS D'ARLES - FR9301596 Habitats Directive 11,085 protected area overlaps with site 3,345  
Marais entre Crau et Grand Rhône - FR9312001 Birds Directive 7,234 protected area overlaps with site 5,187  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Humid grasslands  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Salt marshes; Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
hunting -
urban/industrial/transport -

Management considerations Water pollution from industry, the expansion of rice cultivation, reedbed exploitation, drying out and embankment of the wetland, and high hunting pressure are the main threats at this site.

Protection status National None International None

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Marais entre Crau et Grand Rhône: Meyranne, Chanoine, Plan de Bourg et Salins du Caban. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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