Data Zone
Country/territory: Italy
IBA Criteria met: A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C3, C6 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria please click here
Area: 5,107 ha
Protection status:
| Most recent IBA monitoring assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | Threat score (pressure) | Condition score (state) | Action score (response) |
| 2013 | very high | very unfavourable | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring please click here | |||
Site description
A complex of wetlands along the south-east coast of Sicily, around the town of Catania, and including the following sites: Biviere di Lentini, a freshwater reservoir; Foce del Simeto, a river-mouth; Traversa di Ponte Barca, a stretch of the Simeto river. There are large reedbeds at Biviere di Lentini. The main land-uses are water-resource management at Biviere di Lentini (for domestic water-supply), and nature conservation at Foce del Simeto. The surrounding areas are largely agricultural.
Key biodiversity
A very important site for waterbirds while breeding (especially Aythya nyroca and herons), migrating (e.g. Plegadis falcinellus, Platalea leucorodia) and wintering. The site holds more than 20,000 waterbirds on a regular basis, with Larus ridibundus especially common in winter.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Simeto mouth and middle course and Biviere di Lentini. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 22/02/2019.
