email a friend
printable version
close| Location | Portugal, Centro |
| Central coordinates | 9o 31.00' West 39o 27.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4ii, A4iii, B1ii, B2, C2, C4, C6 |
| Area | 9,560 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 94m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2002 |
Ornithological information This is the only known breeding colony of Oceanodroma castro near the European mainland. The site holds 10,000 or more pairs of seabirds on a regular basis. The number of breeding Larus cachinnans has increased dramatically in recent years and this colony is now controlled by culling. Berlenga marks the southern limit in Europe for breeding Uria aalge, with 45 individuals (declined from 6,000 pairs in 1939), and the northern limit for breeding Calonectris diomedea. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Falco peregrinus (2 pairs).
Site description A small archipelago of rocky islets, the only sizeable such group off the Portuguese mainland, located c.8 km off the west coast. The largest of the islets covers only 2.5 km2Tourists and anglers visit the area in spring and summer.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea | breeding | 2002 | 117-220 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro | breeding | 1995 | 200-400 breeding pairs | good | A4ii, B1ii, B2, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus | resident | 1995 | 2 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arquipélago da Berlenga - PTCON0006 | Habitats Directive | 96 | protected area contained by site | 96 | |
| Berlengas | Nature Reserve | 9,560 | protected area contained by site | 9,560 |
|
| Ilhas Berlengas | Biogenetic Reserves | 1,020 | unknown | 0 |
|
| Ilhas Berlengas - PTZPE0009 | Birds Directive | 9,560 | is identical to site | 9,560 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Sea | Open Sea; Sea inlets and coastal features | - |
| Coastline | Rock stacks and islets; Sea cliffs and rocky shores; Shingle & stony beaches | - |
| Introduced/exotic vegetation | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| military | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Management considerations Tourists and anglers cause a certain amount of disturbance to breeding birds. The introduction of the non-native and highly invasive creeper Carpobrotus has affected the natural vegetation cover.
Protection status National High International High9,560 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Berlenga, 9,560 ha). 9,560 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Ilhas Berlengas, 9,560 ha).
References Lecoq (2002)
Contribute Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.
Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Berlenga and Farilhões islands. 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
|
|