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FR025
Baie de Bourgneuf et marais breton
Location France, Pays de la Loire
Central coordinates 1o 55.00' West  46o 54.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 47,000 ha
Altitude 0 - 3m
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: Haliaeetus albicilla (passage).

Site description A bay with saltwater and freshwater lagoons, saltwater marshes, mudflats and wet meadows.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Brent Goose Branta bernicla winter  1997  4,947-8,745 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla passage  1997  1,000-10,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna winter  1997  1,728-4,445 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata winter  1997  32-514 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata breeding  1997  400-450 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1997  310 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Black Kite Milvus migrans breeding  1995  10-30 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1997  80-120 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1995  50-100 breeding pairs  -  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1995  212-249 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  1997  1,450-1,788 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1997  284-404 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola winter  1997  1,578-6,110 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola passage  1997  3,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  1997  42-1,090 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  1997  1,500 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  1997  700-3,530 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Near Threatened 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus breeding  1997  676-816 breeding pairs  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  1997  4,853-15,582 individuals  -  B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina passage  1997  10,000-20,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1997  42-50 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus breeding  1995  2-5 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica breeding  1995  500-600 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)  
Baie de Bourgneuf Hunting Reserve 4,200 protected area contained by site 4,200  
Estuaire de la Loire - Baie de Bourgneuf - FR5212014 Birds Directive 80,202 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Estuaire de la Loire Sud - Baie de Bourgneuf - FR5202012 Habitats Directive 49,441 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
LPO-BirdLife Parcels Private Reserve 361 protected area contained by site 361  
Marais Breton, baie de Bourgneuf, île de Noirmoutier et forêt de Monts - FR5200653 Habitats Directive 52,420 protected area overlaps with site 43,309  
Marais Breton, baie de Bourgneuf, île de Noirmoutier et forêt de Monts - FR5212009 Birds Directive 55,826 protected area overlaps with site 43,978  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Coastline Lagoons; Salt marshes  -
Grassland Humid grasslands  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater  -
Sea Sea inlets and coastal features  -

Land use

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

Management considerations The site is threatened by drainage and cultivation, marine aquaculture and the digging of ponds for aquaculture. Additional threats include increasing hunting pressure.

Protection status National Low International None4,200 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Baie de Bourgneuf, 4,200 ha). 80 ha of IBA covered by Private Reserve (LPO-BirdLife, 80 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Baie de Bourgneuf et marais breton. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013

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