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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2019 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	894–1,290 individuals	B3a
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	389–913 individuals	B3a
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	1,144–2,557 individuals	A4, B3a
Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	1,367–2,259 individuals	A4, B3a
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	416–837 individuals	B3a
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter (2014–2017)	6,324–13,691 individuals	A4, B1a, B3a
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter (2014–2017)	6,710–13,897 individuals	A4, B3a
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	winter (2014–2017)	10,662–24,228 individuals	A4, B3a
White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus	LC	winter (2014–2017)	186–357 individuals	B3a
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter (2014–2017)	402–840 individuals	B3a
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	LC	winter (2014–2017)	15,437–30,391 individuals	A4, B3a
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2014–2017)	2,768–6,777 individuals	B1a
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (2014–2017)	43,606–111,278 individuals	A4, B1a, B3a
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (2014–2017)	248–493 individuals	B1a
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter (2014–2017)	1,432–2,828 individuals	B3a
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter (2014–2017)	36,310–94,560 individuals	A4, B1a, B3a
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	VU	winter (2014–2017)	44,623–116,300 individuals	A4, B1a, B3a
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	winter (2014–2017)	16,114–35,413 individuals	A4, B3a
Little Stint Calidris minuta	LC	winter (2014–2017)	1,578–5,037 individuals	B3a
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (2014–2017)	10,373–23,113 individuals	A4, B3a
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	268–699 individuals	B3a
Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	257–728 individuals	B3a
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	winter (2014–2017)	3,084–9,018 individuals	A4, B3a
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	winter (2014–2017)	6,003–16,729 individuals	B3a
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	5,147–9,176 individuals	A4, B3a
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	605–1,581 individuals	B3a
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	winter (2014–2017)	6,825–12,176 individuals	A4, B3a
Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	3,193–9,781 individuals	A4, B3a
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding (2014–2017)	235,431–496,598 individuals	B3b

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2019. The most recent assessment (2001) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A compre­hensive and appropriate manage­ment plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the popul­ations of qualify­ing bird species	Unknown	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1996	Bolama - Bijagós	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	100
2000	Orango	National Park (II)	19
2000	João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park	Marine National Park (II)	35

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	84
Savanna	8
Artificial/Terrestrial	3
Shrubland	2
Unknown	2

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Arquipélago dos Bijagós (Guinea-Bissau). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/arquipélago-dos-bijagós-iba-guinea-bissau on 13/01/2025.