ES222
Sierra Nevada mountain range


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
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos LC resident 2008 min 21 breeding pairs B2, C2, C6
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata LC resident 2009 15 breeding pairs B2, C2
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus LC breeding 2009 12-20 breeding pairs B2, C2
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax LC resident 2009 250-500 breeding pairs B2, C2, C6
Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius LC resident 1995 150 breeding pairs B2
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura LC resident 1995 300 breeding pairs B2, C2

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)
Sierras de Gádor y Enix Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 50,344 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Sierra Nevada Noroeste Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 778 protected area contained by site 790
Sierra Nevada Zona de Importancia Comunitaria ZIC (ZEPA/ZEC) 0 protected area contained by site 0
Sierra Nevada Parque Nacional 85,883 protected area contained by site 0
Sierra Nevada Parque Natural 86,355 protected area contained by site 0
Sierra Nevada National Game Reserve 35,430 protected area contained by site 35,430
Sierra Nevada Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 172,238 protected area contained by site 0
Sierra Nevada Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) 172,238 protected area contained by site 171,811
Reserva de la Biósfera Sierra Nevada UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 171,646 protected area contained by site 171,646
Ramblas de Gérgal; Tabernas y Sur de Sierra Alhamilla Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 22,853 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Ramblas de Gergal, Tabernas y Sur de Sierra Alhamilla Zona de Importancia Comunitaria ZIC (ZEPA/ZEC) 0 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Humedales y Turberas de Padul Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance 327 protected area overlaps with site 0
Falla de Nigüelas Monumento Natural 7 protected area contained by site 0
Cárcavas de Marchal Monumento Natural 5 protected area contained by site 0
Barrancos del Río de Aguas Blancas Zona de Importancia Comunitaria ZIC (ZEPA/ZEC) 0 protected area overlaps with site 0
Barrancos del Río de Aguas Blancas Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 2,995 protected area overlaps with site 1,419
Albufera de Adra Reserva Natural 46 protected area contained by site 171,646

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Native coniferous woodland, Mixed woodland, Alluvial and very wet forest, Broadleaved evergreen woodland -
Shrubland Scrub -
Grassland Steppes and dry calcareous grassland, Dry siliceous grassland -
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams -
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) Scree & boulders, Inland cliffs -
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable land, Perennial crops, orchards and groves, Forestry plantations -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
forestry -
hunting -
tourism/recreation -
nature conservation and research -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sierra Nevada mountain range. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sierra-nevada-mountain-range-iba-spain on 04/12/2023.