A large bay with a shallow brackish zones, small freshwater marshes, saltmarshes, and saltpans. Human activities include agriculture, salt production, stock-raising, fishing, hunting, and recreation.
Key biodiversity
This is an important site for migratory and wintering waterbirds. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Phalacrocorax pygmeus (maximum 15 wintering individuals), Aythya nyroca (passage), Aquila clanga (wintering), Falco naumanni (breeding), Gallinago media (passage), Larus audouinii.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats to the site include hunting, water pollution from industry and agriculture, filling-in of wetlands, the creation of embankments, overgrazing, fires, the expansion of cultivation, and new tourism development. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.
Protected areas
National Partial International PartialPart of IBA covered by Wildlife Refuge (Prophitis Ilias/Polychnitou, 430 ha). 5,950 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Paraktioi Ygrotopoi Kolpou Kallonis, 6,461 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kalloni Gulf, Lesvos. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 02/04/2023.
