ES217
Tabernas desert


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 Current IUCN Red List Category Season Year(s) Population estimate at site IBA criteria met
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus LC breeding 2009 present C6
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus LC resident 2003 200-400 breeding pairs C2, C6

The current IUCN Red List category 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)
Sierra María-Los Velez Parque Natural 22,562 protected area contained by site 11,625
Ramblas de Gérgal; Tabernas y Sur de Sierra Alhamilla Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 22,853 protected area overlaps with site 4,390
Ramblas de Gergal, Tabernas y Sur de Sierra Alhamilla Zona de Importancia Comunitaria ZIC (ZEPA/ZEC) 0 protected area overlaps with site 0
Desierto de Tabernas Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) 11,448 protected area contained by site 11,463
Desierto de Tabernas Zona de Importancia Comunitaria ZIC (ZEPA/ZEC) 11,448 protected area contained by site 0
Desierto de Tabernas Paraje Natural 11,448 protected area contained by site 0
Desierto de Tabernas Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 11,448 protected area contained by site 0

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest -
Shrubland Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis -
Grassland Steppes and dry calcareous grassland -
Desert Semidesert -
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable land, Perennial crops, orchards and groves -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
hunting -
tourism/recreation -
urban/industrial/transport -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tabernas desert. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tabernas-desert-iba-spain on 04/10/2023.