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TN022
Metbassta
Location Tunisia, Kairouan
Central coordinates 10o 1.00' East  35o 42.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i
Area 40 ha
Altitude 65 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux"



Ornithological information See Box for key species. It is also a wintering site for Casmerodius albus, Plegadis falcinellus, Phoenicopterus ruber, Anser anser, Tadorna tadorna, Anas penelope, A. clypeata, A. crecca, A. strepera, Aythya ferina and Fulica atra. The plains around the lake are used as a roosting site by Grus grus. Numenius tenuirostris was recorded here in November 1992. In addition, eight species of the Mediterranean North Africa biome (A01) have been recorded (see Table 2).

Site description Metbassta is a small shallow wetland near Kairouan in the immediate vicinity of Kelbia (site TN020), to whose catchment it belongs. It is essentially fresh and may, like Oued Sed (site TN018), be fed by freshwater springs, as well as by the Oued Marguellil and the Oued Nebhana. It may dry out completely in summer.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris breeding  -  30-60 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i  Vulnerable 
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  1999  -  -    Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Metbassta hunting reserve Reserve 40 is identical to site 40  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Freshwater lakes and pools  major

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
hunting -

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations The site is a Hunting Reserve, but poaching occurs.

References Dalensi (1998), Gaultier (1986, 1988a, 1989), Hamrouni (1999), Ministère de l’Agriculture, Direction Générale des Forêts (2000).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Metbassta. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife