ES166
Santa Pola salt-pans


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important in 2011 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):
Species Red List Category Season Year(s) Population estimate at site IBA criteria met
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala EN resident 2009 2-15 breeding pairs A1, B1i, B2, C1, C2
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris NT breeding 2009 1-27 breeding pairs A1, A4i, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C6
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina LC winter 2009 max 511 individuals B1i, C3
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus LC winter 2009 39-1,336 individuals B1i, C2
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus LC non-breeding 2009 301-1,320 individuals B1i, C2
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax LC breeding 2009 40-150 breeding pairs C2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides LC breeding 2009 20-63 breeding pairs B1i, B2, C2
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea LC breeding 2009 2-40 breeding pairs B1i, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta LC winter 2009 max 674 individuals B1i, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta LC resident 2009 137-820 breeding pairs A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus LC resident 2009 12-230 breeding pairs B1i, B2, C2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NT winter 2008 max 279 individuals A1, C1
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei LC resident 2004-2009 153-247 breeding pairs B2, C2, C6
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii VU resident 2005-2009 35 breeding pairs A1, C1
Little Tern Sternula albifrons LC breeding 2007-2009 229-572 breeding pairs A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida LC breeding 2009 50-185 breeding pairs B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo LC breeding 2007-2009 130-362 breeding pairs C6

The current IUCN Red List category (shown above) may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2011).


IBA Protection

Protected area (PA) PA designation PA area (ha) Relationship of PA with IBA Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Salines de Santa Pola (ZEPA) Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) 2,512 protected area overlaps with site 0
Salines de Santa Pola Parque Natural 2,492 protected area overlaps with site 0
Salinas de Santa Pola Nature Park 2,500 protected area contained by site 2,496
Salinas de Santa Pola Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance 2,496 protected area overlaps with site 2,496
Salinas de Santa Pola Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 2,504 protected area overlaps with site 2,496
Parque Natural de las Salinas de Santa Pola Zonas Húmedas 2,491 protected area overlaps with site 0
Illa de Tabarca Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 43 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Espacio marino de Tabarca Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) 14,262 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Espacio marino de Tabarca Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 14,262 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Dunes de Guardamar Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 726 protected area is adjacent to site 0

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine -
Marine Coastal/Supratidal -
Marine Intertidal -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
hunting -
nature conservation and research -
urban/industrial/transport -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Santa Pola salt-pans. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/santa-pola-salt-pans-iba-spain on 19/03/2024.