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TN035
Chott Djerid
Location Tunisia, Kébili,Tozeur
Central coordinates 8o 23.00' East  33o 43.00' North
IBA criteria A3, A4i, A4iii
Area 700,000 ha
Altitude 15 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux"



Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. Most of the inhospitable salt-wastes of the Djerid are unattractive to birds, and wintering waterbirds only occur during very wet winters. The Djerid is probably the only regular breeding site in Tunisia for Phoenicopterus ruber, but the breeding areas are so inaccessible that they have not recently been visited. The shores of Chott Djerid are important areas for many species of the steppe–desert ecotone.

Site description Chott Djerid, situated between the towns of Tozeur and Kebili, is the largest salt depression in North Africa, and gives its name to the whole region. In very wet winters it resembles an inland sea, though water depth never exceeds 1 m; in most years it is a huge area of wet salt, unvegetated because of the high salinity. Also included in the IBA is the steppe surrounding the Chott.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus breeding  -  common [units unknown]  -    Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  -  3,000-15,000 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallus resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Near Threatened 
Temminck's Lark Eremophila bilopha resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Streaked Scrub-warbler Scotocerca inquieta resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala passage  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans passage  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Tristram's Warbler Sylvia deserticola winter  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds unknown  -  20,000 individuals  unknown  A4iii   

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
not utilised -

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations Threats include hunting, human disturbance and oil exploration.

References Ben Ouezdou (1998), Dalensi (1998), Gaultier (1988a), Hughes et al. (1997), Nouira and Blanc (1986).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Chott Djerid. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013

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