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FR175
Haut Giffre
Location France, Rhône-Alpes
Central coordinates 6o 48.00' East  46o 4.00' North
IBA criteria B2, C6
Area 20,850 ha
Altitude 450 - 3,099m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Ligue Pour La Protection des Oiseaux



Ornithological information An important area for breeding gamebirds and other mountain and forest species.

Site description A mountainous area with lakes, broadleaved and coniferous forests, pasture and alpine meadows, moorlands and peatbogs, screes, cliffs, glaciers and permanent lying snow.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus breeding  1991  10-50 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta breeding  1991  100-500 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca breeding  1991  10-50 breeding pairs  -  C6  Near Threatened 
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus breeding  1991  1-10 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus breeding  1996  3-4 breeding pairs  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos breeding  1991  1-10 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus breeding  1991  10-20 breeding pairs  -  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
AIGUILLES ROUGES - FR8201699 Habitats Directive 9,065 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Arvegiffre Hunting Reserve 11,000 protected area contained by site 11,000  
HAUT GIFFRE - FR8201700 Habitats Directive 12,431 protected area overlaps with site 11,055  
HAUT GIFFRE - FR8212008 Birds Directive 18,122 protected area overlaps with site 16,542  
Passy National Nature Reserve 2,000 protected area contained by site 1,717  
Sixt-Passy National Nature Reserve 9,200 protected area contained by site 9,200  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland; Native coniferous woodland  -
Shrubland Heathland  -
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Humid grasslands; Mesophile grasslands; Steppes and dry calcareous grassland  -
Wetlands (inland) Fens, transition mires and springs; Raised bogs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater  -
Rocky areas Inland cliffs; Scree & boulders  -
Caves Caves  -

Land use

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

Management considerations The development of ski-based tourism in the surrounding area is threatening breeding birds, as much as the tourist pressure within the site itself.

Protection status National High International None1,717 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Passy, 1,717 ha). 11,000 ha of IBA covered by Hunting Reserve (Arvegiffre, 11,000 ha). 9,200 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Sixt, 9,200 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Haut Giffre. 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