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RO074
Balta Albă - Amara - Jirlău
Location Romania, Braila,Buzau
Central coordinates 27o 16.07' East  45o 12.97' North
IBA criteria C1, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 51,474 ha
Altitude 15 - 79m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Romanian Ornithological Society



Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding and passage waterbirds, particularly grebes, ducks and herons. The site holds 20,000 or more passage waterbirds on a regular basis (including 8,000 Anas crecca, 5,000 Anas clypeata, and 8,000 Aythya ferina). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (breeding).

Site description The site has three lakes associated with the River Buzãu. Balta Albã is a salt lake (max. depth 4 m) and does not freeze in winter. Amara is brackish and supports areas of reedbed (Phragmites). Jirlãu is fresh and has extensive reedbeds. The lakes are surrounded by agricultural fields and both wet and dry meadows. Reed is harvested at Jirlãu (`Other' land-use).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis passage  1990-2006  460-520 individuals  good  C1  Endangered 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata passage  1990-2006  4,000-5,000 individuals  good  C3  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca breeding  1990-2006  22-33 breeding pairs  good  C1  Near Threatened 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca passage  1990-2006  800-1,000 individuals  good  C1, C2  Near Threatened 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  1990-2006  40-52 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia passage  1990-2006  120-170 individuals  good  C2  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1990-2006  32-46 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus breeding  1990-2006  24-28 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus passage  1990-2006  40-50 individuals  good  C1, C2  Vulnerable 
Osprey Pandion haliaetus passage  1990-2006  20-22 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1990-2006  26-28 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Corncrake Crex crex passage  1990-2006  60-70 individuals  good  C1  Least Concern 
Little Crake Porzana parva breeding  1990-2006  25-40 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus passage  1990-2006  120-150 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1990-2006  14-40 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria passage  1990-2006  80-100 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  1990-2006  12-13 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus passage  1990-2006  12-15 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa passage  1990-2006  1,000-1,200 individuals  good  C1  Near Threatened 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola passage  1990-2006  200-220 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus passage  1990-2006  40-50 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1990-2006  30-70 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
European Roller Coracias garrulus breeding  1990-2006  10-15 breeding pairs  good  C1  Near Threatened 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  1990-2006  20,000 individuals  good  C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Balta AlbÄ - Amara - JirlÄu - Lacul SÄrat Câineni - ROSCI0005 Habitats Directive 6,411 protected area contained by site 6,411  
Balta AlbÄ - Amara - JirlÄu - ROSPA0004 Birds Directive 4,509 protected area contained by site 4,509  
Lake Amara Nature Reserve 900 protected area contained by site 900  
Lake Balta Alba Nature Reserve 600 protected area contained by site 600  
Visani Bird Sanctuary Nature Reserve 400 protected area contained by site 400  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland   10%
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish and salt water; Water fringe vegetation  90%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
fisheries/aquaculture 30%
not utilised 60%
other -

Management considerations The main threats are from angling, tourism and hunting. A management plan exists for the site.

Protection status National Partial International None400 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Vi°ani Bird Sanctuary (Lake Jirlãu), 400 ha). 600 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Lake Balta Albã, 600 ha). 900 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Lake Amara, 900 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Balta Albă - Amara - Jirlău. 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