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IT038
Ligurian Alps
Location Italy, Liguria
Central coordinates 7o 40.00' East  44o 0.00' North
IBA criteria B2, C6
Area 16,332 ha
Altitude 670 - 2,200m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli



Ornithological information There are important breeding numbers of several raptors, gamebirds and species of forest or open country.

Site description A mountain area in the south-west corner of the Italian Alps, from Monte Alto to Monte Tanarello, at the border with France. The area includes both Mediterranean and alpine habitats, from broadleaved evergreen woodlands to alpine grasslands. Tourism and cattle-breeding are the most important human activities.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix resident  1986  frequent [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca resident  1996  100 breeding pairs  poor  B2, C6  Near Threatened 
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus breeding  1986  abundant [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus breeding  1996  5 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos resident  1986  frequent [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo resident  1986  5 breeding pairs  poor  C6  Least Concern 
Black woodpecker Dryocopus martius resident  1986  5 breeding pairs  poor  C6  Least Concern 
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax resident  1986  common [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Wood Lark Lullula arborea resident  1986  frequent [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Alte Valli Pesio e Tanaro - IT1160057 Birds Directive 11,278 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Ceppo Tomena - IT1315481 Birds Directive 2,070 protected area overlaps with site 184  
Cima di Piano Cavallo - Bric Cornia - IT1313712 Habitats Directive 4,486 protected area overlaps with site 2,766  
Gouta - Testa d'Alpe - Valle Barbaira - IT1315313 Habitats Directive 1,512 protected area overlaps with site 120  
Lecceta di Langan - IT1315408 Habitats Directive 238 protected area contained by site 238  
Monte Ceppo - IT1315407 Habitats Directive 3,055 protected area overlaps with site 1,060  
Monte Gerbonte - IT1314611 Habitats Directive 2,261 protected area contained by site 2,261  
Monte Monega - Monte Prearba - IT1314609 Habitats Directive 3,670 protected area overlaps with site 317  
Monte Saccarello - Monte Fronté - IT1314610 Habitats Directive 3,927 protected area overlaps with site 3,146  
Monte Toraggio - Monte Pietravecchia - IT1315421 Habitats Directive 2,648 protected area overlaps with site 2,504  
Piancavallo - IT1313776 Birds Directive 1,108 protected area contained by site 1,108  
Saccarello - Garlenda - IT1314677 Birds Directive 986 protected area contained by site 986  
Sciorella - IT1314678 Birds Directive 1,472 protected area overlaps with site 151  
Testa d'Alpe - Alto - IT1315380 Birds Directive 1,544 protected area overlaps with site 112  
Toraggio - Gerbonte - IT1314679 Birds Directive 2,483 protected area contained by site 2,483  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest   50%
Shrubland   10%
Grassland   30%
Coastline   10%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
tourism/recreation 15%
agriculture 10%
not utilised 60%
hunting 5%
forestry 10%

Management considerations No major threats are present. A Regional Park is proposed.

Protection status National None International None

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ligurian Alps. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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