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PT003
Montesinho and Nogueira mountains
Location Portugal, Norte
Central coordinates 6o 52.00' West  41o 51.00' North
IBA criteria B2, B3, C6
Area 108,094 ha
Altitude 450 - 1,500m
Year of IBA assessment 2002

Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves



Ornithological information The area holds a very diversified bird fauna, with over 126 breeding species.These mountains support important numbers of breeding raptors

Site description A series of mountain ranges (Coroa, Montesinho and Nogueira), located in the north-east corner of Portugal, with a continental-type climate. There is a vast forest of deciduous oak Quercus pyrenaica, together with heathland and other shrublands.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Black Stork Ciconia nigra breeding  1997  1 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia breeding  1997  10 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus resident  1997  1-5 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Red Kite Milvus milvus resident  1997  1-5 breeding pairs  good  C6  Near Threatened 
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus breeding  1994  11-13 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus breeding  1994  5-8 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1994  40-60 breeding pairs  good  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos resident  1997  3-4 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus breeding  1997  1-5 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo resident  1997  11-50 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio breeding  1997  5-10 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax resident  1997  1-5 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris breeding  1997  common [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana breeding  1997  common [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Montesinho Nature Park 74,545 protected area contained by site 74,618  
Montesinho/Nogueira - PTCON0002 Birds Directive 108,011 protected area contained by site 108,011  
Rios Sabor e Maçãs - PTCON0021 Habitats Directive 33,476 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Rios Sabor e Maçãs - PTZPE0037 Birds Directive 50,688 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland; Treeline ecotone  -
Shrubland Heathland; Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis; Scrub  -
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Humid grasslands  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater  -
Rocky areas Inland cliffs; Scree & boulders  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Forestry plantations  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
forestry -
hunting -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -

Management considerations The area is relatively unaffected by human activities, although the abandonment of agriculture is reducing landscape diversity, through regeneration of forest-cover and loss of the patchwork of open areas. Firewood-collection in the deciduous forests, allied to lack of management, is preventing the development of forest stands of high ecological quality.

Protection status National:Natural Park (Montesinho, 74618 ha included in IBA)Special Protection Area (Serras de Montesinho e Nogueira, 108089 ha overlaps with IBA) SIC ProposalMontesinho/NogueiraInternational:Special Protection Area Serras de Montesinho e Nogueira; SIC candidature Montesinho/Nogueira

References Reino (1994), Patacho (1998,2002)Álvares (2001)

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Montesinho and Nogueira mountains. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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