Data Zone
Country/territory: France
IBA criteria met: A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 9,300 ha
Site description (baseline)
An estuary, bay and open sea, with mudflats, sandy beaches, cliffs and rocky islets.
Key biodiversity
This is an important site for wintering and passage waterbirds and passage auks (Alcidae). The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on passage and in winter, on a regular basis (including Phalacrocorax carbo 4,000 (passage); Anser anser 10,000 (passage); Vanellus vanellus 6,000 (winter)). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Tetrax tetrax (passage).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Estuaire de la Bidassoa et Baie de Fontarabie. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/2176 on 29/05/2023.
