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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2000 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
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter (1996)	5,000–22,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (1996)	25–100 pairs	A1, B2, C1, C6
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter (1996)	7,000–26,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (1996)	20,000–50,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (1996)	8,000–15,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter (1996)	8,000–30,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	winter (1996)	900–2,200 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter (1996)	20,000–47,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	breeding (1996)	70–80 pairs	C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding (1996)	6–10 pairs	B2, C6
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	passage (1996)	400–1,200 birds	A4i, B1i, C2
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (1996)	30–60 pairs	C2, C6
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding (1996)	50–100 pairs	B2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (1996)	80–150 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	breeding (1996)	130–200 pairs	A4i, B1i, C2
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	passage (1996)	800–1,500 birds	A4i, B1i, C2
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	resident (1996)	45–50 pairs	A1, A4i, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C6
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter (1996)	1,200–1,800 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	LC	breeding (1996)	8–30 pairs	B2, C6
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	breeding (1996)	8–12 pairs	B1i, C3
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	breeding (1996)	220–360 pairs	A4i, B1i, C2
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter (1996)	600–2,500 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	resident (1996)	300–400 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage (2000)	rare	A1, C1
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	VU	passage (1996)	2,000–6,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Little Stint Calidris minuta	LC	passage (1996)	3,000–8,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (1996)	800–2,300 birds	B1i, C3
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1996)	100–160 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1996)	400–550 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1997)	5–6 pairs	B2, C6
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	breeding (1996)	80–120 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	resident (1996)	45–90 pairs	C2
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter (1996)	3–4 birds	A1, C1
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla	LC	breeding (1996)	abundant	B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1996)	100,000-499,999 birds	A4iii, C4

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2000. The most recent assessment (2019) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	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	No management plan exists, but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Amvrakikos	National Park (-)	100
2008	Ethniko Parko Ygrotopon Amvrakikou	Ethniko Parko (VI)	87
2008	Ethniko Parko Ygrotopon Amvrakikou - Periochi prostasias tis fysis	Periochi prostasias tis fysis se ethniko parko (VI)	62
2008	Ethniko Parko Ygrotopon Amvrakikou (Zoni B: Periochi Eidikon Rythmiseon)	Alla (VI)	24
2008	Ethniko Parko Ygrotopon Amvrakikou (Zoni A-1: Periochi Eidikis Diacheirisis Ydaton)	Alla (VI)	2

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	20	Arable land; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Other urban and industrial areas
Grassland	5	Humid grasslands
Marine Neritic	5
Shrubland	5	Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	-
Marine Intertidal	-

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	70
water management	70
agriculture	25
tourism/recreation	5
urban/industrial/transport	5
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Amvrakikos gulf (Greece). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/amvrakikos-gulf-iba-greece on 23/12/2024.