Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | winter | 1997 | 529-805 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | passage | 1997 | 500-1,500 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | breeding | 1997 | 50-60 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus | LC | breeding | 1997 | 100-180 breeding pairs | B2 |
| Slender-billed Gull Larus genei | LC | breeding | 1997 | 50-100 breeding pairs | C2 |
| Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis | LC | winter | 1997 | 5,615-8,700 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis | LC | breeding | 1997 | 4,000 breeding pairs | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | LC | breeding | 1997 | 50-100 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus | LC | breeding | 1997 | 10-15 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla | LC | breeding | 1997 | 50-250 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon | LC | breeding | 1997 | 50-250 breeding pairs | C2, C6 |
| A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes | n/a | passage | 1991 | min 20,000 individuals | A4iv, B1iv, C5 |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2000).
| Protected area (PA) | PA designation | PA area (ha) | Relationship of PA with IBA | Overlap of PA with IBA (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salses-Leucate | Hunting Reserve | 1,250 | protected area contained by site | 1,250 |
| RIVES DE FITOU | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 18 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Prolongement en mer des Cap et étang de Leucate | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 13,731 | protected area contained by site | 0 |
| Posidonies de la côte des Albères | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 4,415 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Plateau de Leucate | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 303 | protected area contained by site | 303 |
| Plateau de Leucate | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 303 | protected area contained by site | 303 |
| PLATEAU DE LA FRANQUI | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 36 | protected area contained by site | 0 |
| PLA DE LAS FORQUES | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 11 | protected area contained by site | 0 |
| Moulin d'Ensourd | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 30 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Montagne de la Clape | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 9,082 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Massif de la Clape | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 8,339 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Mas Larrieu | Réserve naturelle nationale | 145 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Les Etangs littoraux de la Narbonnaise | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 12,334 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| LES COUSSOULES | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 27 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| LES AUZILS | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 771 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| LE MOURET | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 1 | protected area contained by site | 0 |
| LE BOURDIGOU | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 70 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| La Rigole | Hunting Reserve | 43 | protected area contained by site | 43 |
| La Narbonnaise en Méditerranée | Parc naturel régional | 68,350 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| LA CARAMOUN | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 9 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Golfe du Lion | Parc naturel marin | 401,900 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Étangs du Narbonnais | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 12,314 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Etang de Salses-Leucate | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 7,637 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| ETANG DE SALSES | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 88 | protected area contained by site | 0 |
| Étang de Lapalme | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 3,904 | protected area overlaps with site | 3,118 |
| ETANG DE LA PALME | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 46 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Embouchure du Tech et Grau de la Massane | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 954 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| DOMAINE DE FRESCATI | Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral | 86 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Cours inférieur de l'Aude | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 5,358 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Côtes sableuses de l'infralittoral Languedocien | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 8,678 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Côte rocheuse des Albères | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 536 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
| Côte languedocienne | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 71,874 | protected area overlaps with site | 20,260 |
| Complexe lagunaire de Salses-Leucate | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 7,701 | protected area overlaps with site | 7,116 |
| Complexe lagunaire de Salses | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 7,818 | protected area overlaps with site | 7,166 |
| Complexe lagunaire de Lapalme | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 1,840 | protected area contained by site | 1,840 |
| Complexe lagunaire de Bages-Sigean | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 9,555 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Cap Bear- cap Cerbère | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 38,450 | protected area overlaps with site | 6,043 |
| Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Native coniferous woodland, Alluvial and very wet forest, Broadleaved evergreen woodland | - |
| Shrubland | Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis | - |
| Grassland | Steppes and dry calcareous grassland | - |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Highly improved re-seeded landscapes, Arable land, Perennial crops, orchards and groves, Urban parks and gardens, Ruderal land | - |
| Marine Neritic | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - |
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| hunting | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Etangs de Leucate et Lapalme. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/etangs-de-leucate-et-lapalme-iba-france on 03/10/2023.
