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FR060
Estuaires picards : baies de Somme et d'Authie
Location France, Picardie
Central coordinates 1o 36.00' East  50o 15.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 18,200 ha
Altitude 0 - 32m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on passage and in winter, on a regular basis.

Site description A large estuary and bay with mudflats and wet meadows, sand and rocky beaches, woodland, marshes, and agricultural land. The site also includes a harbour.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna winter  1997  8,000-16,800 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta winter  1997  438-1,229 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta passage  1997  500-1,500 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca winter  1997  100 individuals  -  B2  Not Recognised 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia passage  1997  10-100 individuals  -  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1997  3-5 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1997  10-12 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Little Crake Porzana parva breeding  1991  1-4 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana breeding  1991  1-5 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus winter  1997  5,426-11,400 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1997  89-94 breeding pairs  -  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola winter  1997  305-5,053 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola passage  1997  500-6,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius passage  1996  1,000-3,500 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1997  48-51 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  1997  15-800 individuals  -  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  1997  551-5,302 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Near Threatened 
Red Knot Calidris canutus winter  1997  55-8,070 individuals  -  B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus passage  1997  500-6,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Sanderling Calidris alba passage  1997  1,000-1,500 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  1997  6,300-21,851 individuals  -  B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus breeding  1991  2-3 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus breeding  1991  25 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica breeding  1991  35-40 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Authie-Somme Hunting Reserve 13,000 protected area contained by site 13,000  
BAIE DE CANCHE ET COULOIR DES TROIS ESTUAIRES - FR3102005 Habitats Directive 33,306 protected area overlaps with site 922  
Baie de Somme National Nature Reserve 3,146 protected area contained by site 3,146  
Baie de Somme Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 17,000 protected area contained by site 17,000  
Baie de Somme Maritime Hunting Reserve 2,000 protected area contained by site 2,000  
Baie de Somme Terrestre Hunting Reserve 14 protected area contained by site 14  
DUNES DE L'AUTHIE ET MOLLIERES DE BERCK - FR3100482 Habitats Directive 186 protected area overlaps with site 94  
ESTUAIRES ET LITTORAL PICARDS (baies de Somme et d'Authie) - FR2200346 Habitats Directive 15,662 protected area overlaps with site 14,296  
Estuaires picards : Baie de Somme et d'Authie - FR2210068 Birds Directive 15,214 protected area overlaps with site 3,953  
Parc Ornithologique du Marque terre Private Reserve 188 protected area contained by site 188  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Mixed woodland; Native coniferous woodland  8%
Grassland Humid grasslands  5%
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters; Water fringe vegetation  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  -
Coastline Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches; Shingle & stony beaches  -

Land use

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

Management considerations The main threats are road construction, the abandonment of grazing, the conversion of meadows into arable fields and inappropriate management of water-levels.

Protection status National Partial International High3,146 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Baie de Somme, 3,146 ha). 2,000 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Baie de Somme Maritime, 2,000 ha). 13 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Baie de Somme Terrestre, 13 ha). 13,000 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Authie-Somme, 13,000 ha). 188 ha of IBA covered by Private Reserve (Parc Ornithologique du Marqueterre, 188 ha). 17,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Baie de Somme, 17,000 ha). 15,000 ha covered by Special Protection Area (Estuaires Picards: baies de Somme et d'Authie, 15,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Estuaires picards : baies de Somme et d'Authie. 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