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FR024
Lac de Grand-Lieu
Location France, Pays de la Loire
Central coordinates 1o 40.00' West  47o 5.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 5,600 ha
Altitude 2 - 5m
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. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (wintering); Crex crex (passage).

Site description A lake, with associated reedbeds (Phragmites) and wet meadows, and woodlands, hedgerows and cultivated land.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Gadwall Anas strepera breeding  1997  40-50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata winter  1997  1,800-4,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata passage  1997  3,000-5,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta passage  1997  1,000-1,200 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  1991  10-15 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  1991  1-10 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1994  55 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1991  40-80 breeding pairs  -  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1991  180 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black Kite Milvus migrans breeding  1991  15-25 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1997  20-40 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra passage  1997  20,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1997  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Lac de Grand Lieu - FR5210008 Birds Directive 5,746 protected area contains site 5,600  
Lac de Grand-Lieu National Nature Reserve 2,695 protected area contained by site 2,694  
Lac de Grand-Lieu Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 6,300 protected area overlaps with site 5,600  
Lac de Grand-Lieu - FR5200625 Habitats Directive 6,292 protected area contains site 5,600  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland  -
Shrubland Heathland  -
Grassland Humid grasslands  29%
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  58%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Perennial crops, orchards and groves  18%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 48%
fisheries/aquaculture 100%
forestry 2%
hunting 94%
urban/industrial/transport 1%

Management considerations The site is drying out as it no longer receives sufficient water from the River Loire (`Other' threats, above). Problems of eutrophication are common due to agricultural pollution.

Protection status National Partial International High2,694 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Lac de Grand-Lieu, 2,694 ha). 5,600 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Lac de Grand-Lieu, 6,000 ha). 5,600 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Grand-Lieu, 6,300 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lac de Grand-Lieu. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

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