Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | LC | winter (2010) | 2,394–9,292 birds | B1i, C3 |
| Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio | LC | resident (2009) | 14 pairs | C6 |
| Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris | LC | resident (2009) | 1–2 pairs | C6 |
| Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus | LC | breeding (2009) | 5–30 pairs | C6 |
| Purple Heron Ardea purpurea | LC | breeding (2009) | 39–56 pairs | B1i, C2, C6 |
| Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus | LC | breeding (2002) | 150–165 pairs | C6 |
| Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata | NT | winter (2008) | 70 birds | A1, C1 |
| Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus | LC | breeding (2009) | 10 pairs | C6 |
| Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor | LC | breeding (2009) | present | C6 |
| Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon | LC | breeding (2009) | 18 pairs | C6 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | winter (1994–1997) | 20,000-49,999 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 (2008) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2008 | very poor | very high | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | 0 / 18,000 (pairs) | 0 | not assessed | ||
| Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris | 2 / 6 (birds) | 34 | very poor | ||
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | very poor (<40%) | very poor (<40%) | very poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Pollution | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | Unknown | The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented | medium |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Aiguamolls de l`Empordà | Parque Natural (V) | 87 |
| 1983 | Les Llaunes | Reserva Natural Integral (Ia) | 10 |
| 1983 | Els Estanys | Reserva Natural Integral (Ia) | 6 |
| 1983 | Illa de Caramany | Reserva Natural Integral (Ia) | <1 |
| 1983 | Aiguamolls de l'Empordà | Nature Park (V) | 94 |
| 1985 | Aiguamolls de l'Empordà | Integral Nature Reserve (Ia) | 17 |
| 1987 | L`illa de Caramany | Reserva Natural Parcial (IV) | <1 |
| 1992 | Aiguamolls de l`Alt Empordà | Plan Especial de Protección (PEIN) (VI) | 93 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | 70 | Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Arable land |
| Grassland | 35 | Humid grasslands; Mesophile grasslands |
| Forest | 30 | Alluvial and very wet forest |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 90 |
| agriculture | 60 |
| tourism/recreation | 20 |
| forestry | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ampurdán marshes (Spain). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ampurdán-marshes-iba-spain on 23/12/2024.