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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2000

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter	1988	11,100 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	1988	10,000 individuals	B1i, C3
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	passage	1990	500-1,800 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter	1988	1,550 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	LC	breeding	1990	39 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Haematopus ostralegus	NR	resident	1990	25 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	1990	23 breeding pairs	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	1988	300 individuals	B2, C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	resident	1990	200 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage	2000	present	A1, C1
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding	1990	66-77 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	1990	489-500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	resident	1996	10-20 breeding pairs	C2
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	breeding	1990	110 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus	LC	resident	-	common	C6
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding	1990	12-15 breeding pairs	A1, C1
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla	LC	breeding	1990	1,200-1,250 breeding pairs	B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1998	20,000-49,999 individuals	A4iii, C4

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Zones prostasias tis fysis PF1, PF2, PF3 kai PF4 Ethnikou Parkou limnothalasson Mesolongiou	Periochi prostasias tis fysis se ethniko parko	35,767	protected area overlaps with site	0
Zones apolytis prostasias AP1, AP2, AP3 kai AP4 Ethnikou Parkou limnothalasson Mesolongiou	Periochi apolytis prostasias tis fysis se ethniko parko	306	protected area overlaps with site	0
To dasos tou Lesiniou Aitoloakarnanias	Diatiriteo mnimeio tis fysis	51	protected area overlaps with site	0
Perifereiakes perioches PP1, PP2, PP3, PP4, PP5, PP6, PP7 kai Perifereiaki zoni Ethnikou Parkou Mesolongiou	Periferiaki zoni Ethnikou Parkou	25,622	protected area overlaps with site	0
Oros Varasova	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,475	protected area contained by site	1,443
Oros Arakynthos Kai Stena Kleisouras	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	13,303	protected area overlaps with site	6,264
Messolonghi lagoons	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	33,687	protected area overlaps with site	31,707
Mesolongi and Aetoliko lagoons, and Acheloos and	Biogenetic Reserves	0	protected area overlaps with site	43
Mesolongi and Aetoliko lagoons	National Park	59,506	protected area overlaps with site	31,194
Lesini Ash Forest	Natural Monument	46	protected area contained by site	51
Kantilia-Valti (Astakou)	Katafygio Agrias Zois	2,420	protected area overlaps with site	1,084
Ethniko Parko limnothalasson Mesolongiou – Aitolikou, kato rou kai ekvolon Acheloou kai Evinou kai nison Echinadon	Ethniko Parko	36,073	protected area overlaps with site	0
Delta Acheloou; Limnothalassa Mesolongiou - Aitolikou, Ekvoles Evinou, Nisoi Echinades, Nisos Petalas	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	35,641	protected area overlaps with site	31,421
Delta Acheloou; Limnothalassa Mesolongiou - Aitolikou Kai Ekvoles Evinou, Nisoi Echinades, Nisos Petalas, Dytikos Arakynthos Kai Stena Kleisouras	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	44,364	protected area overlaps with site	40,070
Asprolithi Dimou Mesolongiou	Katafygio Agrias Zois	1,603	protected area contained by site	1,603

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Alluvial and very wet forest	-
Shrubland	Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams	-
Coastline	Sand dunes & beaches, Salt marshes, Mud flats & sand flats, Lagoons	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
forestry	-
tourism/recreation	-
other	-

For further information about the land use classification please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mesolongi and Aitoliko lagoons, Acheloos delta and Evinos estuary. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 14/08/2022.