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PT029
Castro Verde plains
Location Portugal, Alentejo
Central coordinates 8o 0.00' West  37o 45.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, B2, B3, C1, C2, C6
Area 83,579 ha
Altitude 160 - 289m
Year of IBA assessment 2002

Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves



Ornithological information The area is of great importance for breeding birds of steppic habitats, especially Otis tarda (the most important site in Portugal).

Site description Open plains used for non-intensive cultivation of cereals (mainly wheat), with sparse woodland of evergreen oak Quercus ilex. Due to the poor soils, cereals are grown on crop rotations of long duration. Fallow land is used for grazing sheep and cattle. There is scattered human habitation.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
White Stork Ciconia ciconia breeding  1996  120-180 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni breeding  2001  186-187 breeding pairs  good  A1, C1, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Merlin Falco columbarius winter  2002  uncommon [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus resident  2002  8-10 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Red Kite Milvus milvus winter  2002  190 individuals  good  C6  Near Threatened 
Black Kite Milvus migrans breeding  1996  7-15 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding  1996  50-80 breeding pairs  medium  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti non-breeding  2002  2-3 individuals  medium  C6  Vulnerable 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos non-breeding  2002  10 individuals  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus breeding  2002  1 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus non-breeding  2002  15 individuals  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Great Bustard Otis tarda resident  2000  900 breeding pairs  good  A1, C1, C2, C6  Vulnerable 
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax resident  1999  360-2,400 breeding pairs  good  A1, B2, C1, C2, C6  Near Threatened 
Common Crane Grus grus winter  2000  80-140 unknown  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus breeding  1996  100-150 breeding pairs  medium  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  2001  frequent [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis breeding  2002  20-120 individuals  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Little Owl Athene noctua resident  2002  2,000-4,000 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
European Roller Coracias garrulus breeding  1996  40-60 breeding pairs  good  C6  Near Threatened 
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra breeding  1999  400-8,500 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla resident  2001  common [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  2002  common [units unknown]  -  A3, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Castro Verde - PTZPE0046 Birds Directive 85,345 is identical to site 83,579  
Guadiana - PTCON0036 Habitats Directive 38,463 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Vale do Guadiana - PTZPE0047 Birds Directive 76,547 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved evergreen woodland  22%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  78%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 78%
forestry 22%
hunting -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -

Management considerations Nesting birds are disturbed by the increasing road-traffic in the region and by the aircraft used in aerial spraying for agriculture. The weakness of the rural economy may lead farmers to change land-uses, which will affect the present high natural value of this landscape. The continuance of low-intensity land-uses is vital for the conservation of the steppe avifauna.

Protection status National None International PartialIBA overlaps with Special Protection Area.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Castro Verde plains. 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