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GR011
Porto Lagos, Lake Vistonis, and coastal lagoons (Lakes of Thrace)
Location Greece, East Macedonia and Thrace
Central coordinates 25o 5.00' East  41o 1.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 15,300 ha
Altitude 0 - 99m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Hellenic Ornithological Society



Ornithological information The area is important for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds and raptors, and breeding species associated with reedbeds. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Branta ruficollis (wintering), Haliaeetus albicilla (2-4 non-breeding individuals), Aquila clanga (5 wintering individuals), Aquila heliaca (wintering), Falco naumanni (passage).

Site description A wetland complex of freshwater lakes and coastal lagoons, with reedbeds (Phragmites), wet meadows and saltmarsh.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus winter  1990  40 individuals  -  A1, C1  Vulnerable 
Mute Swan Cygnus olor winter  -  800 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna winter  1996  250-1,200 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina winter  1996  3,000-14,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca resident  -  frequent [units unknown]  -  C6  Near Threatened 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala winter  1997  2,300 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Endangered 
Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan winter  -  500 individuals  -  B1ii, C2  Vulnerable 
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis winter  -  2,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis winter  1995  1,150-6,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  1996  1,500-5,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia breeding  -  80-130 breeding pairs  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus passage  -  400 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  -  50-150 breeding pairs  -  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus winter  1996  45-550 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus winter  1995  120-250 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Vulnerable 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus passage  1995  350-700 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1995  2,350-3,300 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  -  2,200 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra winter  1996  2,000-29,000 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus breeding  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta resident  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus breeding  1995  5-15 breeding pairs  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus resident  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris passage  -  1 individuals  -  A1, C1  Critically Endangered 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus breeding  1997  400 breeding pairs  medium  B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  C6  Least Concern 
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster breeding  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor breeding  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus breeding  -  common [units unknown]  -  B2  Least Concern 
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla breeding  -  abundant [units unknown]  -  B2, C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1996  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
DELTA NESTOU KAI LIMNOTHALASSES KERAMOTIS - EVRYTERI PERIOCHI KAI PARAKTIA ZONI - GR1150010 Habitats Directive 22,485 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Fanari-Porto Lagos Wildlife Refuge 469 protected area contained by site 469  
KOILADA KOMPSATOU - GR1130012 Birds Directive 16,601 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Kompsatou Dimou Iasmou Wildlife Refuge 3,710 protected area overlaps with site 2,613  
Lake Vistonis, Porto Lagos, Lake Ismaris and adjoining lagoons Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 24,396 protected area overlaps with site 12,585  
LIMNES KAI LIMNOTHALASSES TIS THRAKIS - EVRYTERI PERIOCHI KAI PARAKTIA ZONI - GR1130009 Habitats Directive 29,456 protected area overlaps with site 13,170  
LIMNES VISTONIS, ISMARIS - LIMNOTHALASSES PORTO LAGOS, ALYKI PTELEA, XIROLIMNI, KARATZA - GR1130010 Birds Directive 18,217 protected area overlaps with site 11,788  
Limni Vistonida - Lagous Dimou Avdiron Wildlife Refuge 4,717 protected area contained by site 4,717  
Xirolimni Dimou Aigeirou Wildlife Refuge 192 protected area contained by site 192  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Humid grasslands  10%
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Sea Sea inlets and coastal features  5%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  10%
Coastline Lagoons; Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches; Tidal rivers & enclosed tidal waters  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 20%
fisheries/aquaculture 70%
nature conservation and research 5%
tourism/recreation 5%
water management 20%

Management considerations The site is threatened by drainage in the eastern part of Vistonis, and water pollution from intensive agricultural, industrial and domestic sources. The wetland is also threatened by agricultural and urban expansion, excessive water abstraction and hunting. A land-use zonation system exists but has yet to be established legally. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.

Protection status National High International High400 ha of IBA covered by Wildlife Refuge (Fanariou/Porto Lagos, 400 ha). 930 ha of IBA covered by Wildlife Refuge (Limni Vistonida/Lagou, Kessanis, 930 ha). Part of IBA covered by Protected Area. Part of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Lake Vistonis, Porto Lagos, Lake Ismaris and adjoining lagoons, 24,396 ha). 14,500 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Lake Vistonis, Porto Lagos, Lake Ismaris and adjoining lagoons, 24,396 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Porto Lagos, Lake Vistonis, and coastal lagoons (Lakes of Thrace). 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