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BG034
Mandra-Poda complex
Location Bulgaria, Burgas
Central coordinates 27o 22.95' East  42o 25.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 5,988 ha
Altitude 0 - 101m
Year of IBA assessment 2005

Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds



Ornithological information The complex is important for many bird species, notably for globally threatened species (e.g. Numenius tenuirostris, Oxyura leucocephala), breeding waterbirds (e.g. Platalea leucorodia, Recurvirostra avosetta), and wintering waterbirds. The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on a regular basis, and is also a notable migratory bottleneck site in autumn, where more than 3,000 raptors (notably Aquila pomarina) and up to 20,000 Ciconia ciconia pass overhead. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria while staging at the site: Pelecanus crispus, Aythya nyroca. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Nycticorax nycticorax (28-30 pairs).

Site description A dammed reservoir on the Black Sea coast, below which lies a brackish lagoon linked by an outlet to the sea, next to the town of Burgas. The open-water surface covers 1,300 ha, and is fringed by Phragmites, Typha, Juncus and Bolboschoenus. Along the shore, salt-tolerant vegetation is dominated by Puccinellia and Salicornia, and sand-dunes are overgrown with Leymus grass and Gypsophila. The lake is surrounded by wet meadows, marshes, arable land and areas of Paliurus scrub, with some forest of Quercus and Acer on the south bank.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons winter  1997  10,000-36,855 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis winter  2000  16,878 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Endangered 
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus winter  1997  9-599 individuals  good  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca winter  2001  98 individuals  unknown  A1, C1  Near Threatened 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala winter  1997  24-202 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Endangered 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus breeding  1996  1-30 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  1996  30-37 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  1998  45-75 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  2003  43 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1996  30 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1996  16-20 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus winter  2000  446 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1996  50-72 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus passage  1996  203-2,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus winter  1997  11-203 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1997  19-320 individuals  good  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1997  15-1,873 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus resident  1998  3 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1996  12-25 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1996  5-15 breeding pairs  good  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris passage  1996  1 individuals  good  A1, C1  Critically Endangered 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1998  2-12 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1991  10-72 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1995  6-20 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  -  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Fakiyska reka - BG0000230 Habitats Directive 4,105 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Izvorska Mouth Protected Landscape 151 protected area contained by site 151  
Mandra - Poda - BG0000271 Birds Directive 6,136 protected area contains site 5,988  
Poda Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 307 protected area contained by site 307  
Poda Lagoon Protected Landscape 101 protected area contained by site 101  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Mesophile grasslands  1%
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  98%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  1%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture 90%
agriculture 2%
urban/industrial/transport 10%
nature conservation and research 4%
forestry 1%
hunting 85%

Management considerations Problems include illegal hunting in the protected area, mining of sand from sand-dunes, and chemical pollution of water. The management plan for Poda Lagoon Protected Landscape was prepared by BSPB under the Bulgarian-Swiss Biodiversity Conservation Programme, and BSPB manages this area.

Protection status National Partial International None151 ha of IBA covered by Protected Landscape (Izvorska Mouth, 151 ha). 101 ha of IBA covered by Protected Landscape (Poda Lagoon, 101 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mandra-Poda complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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