ES159
Albufera de Valencia marshes This is an IBA in Danger! 


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2011 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:
Species Red List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris NT breeding (2009) 1–4 pairs B2, C2, C6
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina LC winter (2009) 1,401–9,450 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata LC winter (2009) 1,128–10,985 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus CR winter (1999–2007) max 615 birds A1, A4ii, B1ii, C1, C2
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus LC breeding (2009) 82–108 pairs B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax LC breeding (2009) 117–156 pairs B2, C2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides LC breeding (2009) 137–208 pairs B1i, B2, C2, C6
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis LC resident (2009) 1,556–3,540 pairs A4i, B1i, C3
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea LC breeding (2009) 18–51 pairs B1i, B2, C2, C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta LC resident (2009) 1,286–2,215 pairs A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta LC winter (2009) 2,917–5,448 birds A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo LC winter (2009) 2,681–4,280 birds B1i, C3
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus LC breeding (2009) 390–695 pairs A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus LC resident (2009) 60–74 pairs B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NT winter (2009) 81–168 birds A1, C1
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei LC breeding (2006–2009) 72–224 pairs C2, C6
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus LC resident (2009) 530–1,081 pairs B1i, C3
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus LC winter (2009) 20,902–43,877 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii VU passage (1997) 100–400 birds A1, C1, C6
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii VU winter (2009) 11–24 birds C6
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii VU resident (2008–2009) 140–275 pairs A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons LC breeding (2007–2009) 177–223 pairs B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo LC breeding (2007–2009) 2,290–2,292 pairs B1i, C2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo LC non-breeding (1999–2007) 62–6,267 birds B1i, C2, C6
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica LC breeding (2009) 634–1,031 pairs A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis LC winter (2009) 120–279 birds C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis LC resident (2007–2009) 2,000–2,583 pairs A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a breeding (1996) 4,900–6,900 pairs A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a winter (1997) 14,000–100,000 birds A4iii, C4

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2011. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2016 very poor very high high
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes population good

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Actual vs Reference (units) % remaining Result
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris 1 / 4 (pairs) 25 very poor
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina 37 / 41 (adults) 91 good
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina 1,705 / 9,450 (birds) 19 very poor
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata 4,828 / 10,985 (birds) 44 poor
Ixobrychus minutus 50 / 108 (pairs) 47 poor
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 49 / 156 (pairs) 32 very poor
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 434 / 208 (pairs) 100 good
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 872 / 2,312 (birds) 38 very poor
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1,083 / 3,540 (adults) 31 very poor
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 76 / 51 (pairs) 100 good
Egretta garzetta 909 / 2,215 (adults) 42 poor
Egretta garzetta 5,244 / 5,448 (birds) 97 good
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 772 / 4,280 (birds) 19 very poor
Himantopus himantopus 548 / 695 (pairs) 79 moderate
Charadrius alexandrinus 39 / 74 (birds) 53 poor
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 273 / 168 (birds) 100 good
Dunlin Calidris alpina 223 / 470 (birds) 48 poor
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola 45 / 131 (pairs) 35 very poor
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei 14 / 224 (pairs) 7 very poor
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 936 / 1,081 (adults) 87 moderate
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 27,827 / 43,877 (birds) 64 poor
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii 0 / 275 (adults) 0 very poor
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii 4 / 24 (birds) 17 very poor
Little Tern Sternula albifrons 56 / 223 (pairs) 26 very poor
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 403 / 2,292 (pairs) 18 very poor
Sterna nilotica 469 / 1,031 (pairs) 46 poor
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 54 / 279 (birds) 20 very poor
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 857 / 2,583 (adults) 34 very poor
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus 140 / 161 (birds) 87 moderate

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Climate change and severe weather happe­ning now whole of popul­ation/area (>90%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) very high
Pollution happe­ning now whole of popul­ation/area (>90%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations) very high
Biological resource use happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) high
Transportation and service corridors happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) high
Human intrusions and disturbance happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) low
Natural system modifications happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) low
Residential and commercial development happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive The conservation measures needed for the site are being compre­hensively and effectively implemented high

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
1986 Albufera de Valencia Nature Park (V) 58
1993 L`Albufera Parque Natural (II) 57

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial 73 Arable land
Marine Coastal/Supratidal major (>10)
Forest -
Marine Intertidal -

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture 72
hunting 60
nature conservation and research 25
fisheries/aquaculture 10


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Albufera de Valencia marshes (Spain). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/albufera-de-valencia-marshes-iba-spain on 23/12/2024.