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 |
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 |
Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Albufera de Valencia | Nature Park (V) | 58 |
1993 | L`Albufera | Parque Natural (II) | 57 |
Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
---|---|---|
Artificial/Terrestrial | 73 | Arable land |
Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
Forest | - | |
Marine Intertidal | - |
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.