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IT071
Valle Bertuzzi and Goro lagoon
Location Italy, Emilia Romagna
Central coordinates 12o 15.00' East  44o 47.00' North
IBA criteria B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C6
Area 7,582 ha
Altitude 1 m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli



Ornithological information An important breeding and wintering site for waterbirds, notably for colony-breeding gulls and terns, for breeding Ardea purpurea (the largest colony in Italy and one of the largest in the western Paleartic), and for roosting Phalacrocorax carbo in winter (Valle Bertuzzi is the largest such roost on the Adriatic coast). Winter data refer to January 1994 count only. Wintering waders occur on the sandbanks and beaches of Sacca di Goro.

Site description This area lies on the eastern Adriatic coast, and comprises Valle Bertuzzi (a large brackish lagoon) and Sacca di Goro (an open lagoon), as well as some smaller sites: Lago delle Nazioni, Taglio della Falce, Scannone di Volano and Valli Cannaviè e Porticino. The main activities are fishing and fish-farming.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1995  238-355 breeding pairs  good  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1994  126-220 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1995  1,250 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1994  5 breeding pairs  good  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1994  40-70 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  1994  124 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus breeding  1994  641 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1994  663-1,213 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1994  153 breeding pairs  good  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Reed-warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus breeding  1996  100-300 breeding pairs  good  B3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Bosco della Mesola, Bosco Panfilia, Bosco di Santa Giustina, Valle Falce, La Goara - IT4060015 Birds Directive 1,563 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Bosco di Volano - IT4060007 Birds Directive 401 protected area overlaps with site 214  
Delta del Po Regional Nature Park 59,118 unknown 0  
Delta del Po - IT3270023 Birds Directive 25,012 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Delta del Po: tratto terminale e delta veneto - IT3270017 Habitats Directive 25,362 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Riserva naturale Po di Volano State Nature Reserve 221 protected area contained by site 221  
Sacca di Goro, Po di Goro, Valle Dindona, Foce del Po di Volano - IT4060005 Birds Directive 4,872 protected area overlaps with site 4,421  
Valle Bertuzzi Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 3,100 protected area contained by site 3,100  
Valle Bertuzzi, Valle Porticino - Canneviè - IT4060004 Birds Directive 2,690 protected area overlaps with site 2,545  
Valle di Gorino Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 1,330 protected area contained by site 1,330  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland  1%
Shrubland Scrub  2%
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water; Water fringe vegetation  -
Coastline Lagoons; Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches; Tidal rivers & enclosed tidal waters  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture 80%
hunting 80%
nature conservation and research 80%

Management considerations Important threats to the waterbird colonies are: erosion and subsidence of the islets; predation by rats Rattus; predation, disturbance and competition for breeding sites by Larus cachinnans; disturbance by aquaculture workers. Some or all of the site is covered by a management plan. There have been studies on the colony-breeding waterbirds (since the 1970s), on the impact of Phalacrocorax carbo on fish-farming, and on plants and invertebrates.

Protection status National Partial International Partial221 ha of IBA covered by State Nature Reserve (Po di Volano, 221 ha). Part of IBA covered by Regional Nature Park (Delta del Po, 59,118 ha). Part of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Valle Gorino, Bertuzzi, Comacchio, Ortazzo, Baiona, 20,400 ha). 3,100 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Valle Bertuzzi, 3,100 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Valle Bertuzzi and Goro lagoon. 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