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close| Location | Tunisia |
| Central coordinates | 10o 13.00' East 36o 50.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i |
| Area | 148 ha |
| Altitude | 134 m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. Oxyura leucocephala is present throughout the year and may breed, although numbers are often highest in late summer and autumn, suggesting through-passage. Marmaronetta angustirostris is regularly present in summer and probably breeds, as do Tachybaptus ruficollis, Podiceps cristatus and Fulica atra. In late summer there are considerable concentrations of waders, Glareola pratincola, Chlidonias niger and Sterna nilotica; S. nilotica and G. pratincola may breed in favourable years. Up to several hundred Aythya nyroca occur in late summer, presumably migrants stopping to moult, and a few (up to 20) stay through the winter. Other wintering waterbirds include Aythya ferina, Anas platyrhynchos, A. strepera, A. acuta, A. crecca and Fulica atra.
Site description Mornaguia reservoir is a recently built reservoir, located 12 km west of Tunis and surrounded by agricultural land. Water is pumped into it from dams in the national water grid, so that water-levels fluctuate considerably and there is little natural vegetation except where a stream flows in; here stands of Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, Inula viscosa and Juncus species occur. As one of the few freshwater lakes in the area it attracts a variety of migrants, especially in late summer when other sites are dry.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris | breeding | 1999 | 8-30 adults only | poor | A1, A4i | Vulnerable |
| White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala | breeding | 1999 | 12-220 adults only | unknown | A1, A4i | Endangered |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrage Mornaguia | Game Reserve | 0 | protected area contains site | 148 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Artificial wetlands | major |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| hunting | minor |
| water management | major |
| rangeland/pastureland | minor |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations Hunting of waterbirds on the reservoir, although illegal, occurs and is the main threat.
References Gaultier (1987b, 1988a), Hughes et al. (1997), Karem et al. (1997).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mornaguia reservoir. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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