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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2005 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
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	passage (1999)	428 individuals	B1i, C3
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (2004)	10 breeding pairs	C6
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding (1996)	60 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (1998)	58 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding (1997)	10 breeding pairs	C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	breeding (1996)	40 breeding pairs	A1, C1, C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage (2003)	238 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1996)	40 breeding pairs	C6
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	resident (1996)	1 breeding pairs	C6

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1948	Milka	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1981	Persin-Iztok	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	9
1981	Persinski blata	Poddarzhan Rezarvat (IV)	6
1981	Kitka	Rezervat (Ia)	<1
1981	Persina Iztok	National Monument (-)	10
1981	Persinski Marshes	Managed Reserve (-)	6
1981	Kitka Island	Reserve (-)	<1
2000	Persina	Priroden Park (V)	25
2012	Persin	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	12

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	60	Alluvial and very wet forest
Grassland	35	Humid grasslands
Wetlands (inland)	5	Standing freshwater

Land use	% of IBA
forestry	55
agriculture	30
fisheries/aquaculture	10

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Belene Islands Complex (Bulgaria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/belene-islands-complex-iba-bulgaria on 16/01/2025.