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close| Location | Portugal, Alentejo |
| Central coordinates | 7o 21.00' West 38o 54.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, B2, C1, C6 |
| Area | 8,166 ha |
| Altitude | 300 - 470m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2008 |
Ornithological information Important for breeding birds of steppic habitats, specially for population of Otis tarda that uses the two areas, Vila Fernando and Veiros. Significant proportion (1%) of national population breeding at site: Circus pygargus (8-10 pairs).
Site description Steppic agricultural land of wheat-fields and dry pasture, with scattered evergreen oak Quercus woodland. Land-uses include cultivation and livestock-grazing. There is scattered human habitation. This site has two different areas, area of Vila Fernando and area of veiros, that are separated 10 km In the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989), this site was called Elvas Plains (former site PT028).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni | breeding | 2003 | 7 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus | resident | 2003 | 12-14 breeding pairs | good | B2 | Least Concern |
| Red Kite Milvus milvus | winter | 2002-2003 | 20-25 individuals | good | C6 | Near Threatened |
| Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus | breeding | 2003 | 19-22 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Great Bustard Otis tarda | resident | 2003 | 106-110 individuals | good | A1, C1, C6 | Vulnerable |
| Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax | resident | 2003 | 361 breeding pairs | good | A1, C1 | Near Threatened |
| Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus | breeding | 2003 | 20-30 breeding pairs | good | B2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria | winter | 2002-2003 | 8,050 individuals | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| European Roller Coracias garrulus | breeding | 2003 | 5-6 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Near Threatened |
| Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra | breeding | 2003 | 115-170 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veiros - PTZPE0052 | Birds Directive | 1,959 | protected area contained by site | 1,959 | |
| Vila Fernando - PTZPE0053 | Birds Directive | 5,260 | protected area contained by site | 5,260 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Broadleaved evergreen woodland | 20% |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Arable land | 80% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 80% |
| forestry | 20% |
| hunting | - |
Management considerations Nesting birds are disturbed by increasing road-traffic in the region, intensification/expansion of agriculture and afforestation.Also the increase of cattle causes a loss of ornitologic value, specially for steppic species.
Protection status National None International None
References Pinto & Hellmich (1996)
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Vila Fernando. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013
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