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The site was identified as important in 2007 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding	1990-2006	100-120 breeding pairs	C1, C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding	1990-2006	54-68 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding	1990-2006	28-44 breeding pairs	C6
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	120-140 breeding pairs	C6
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding	1990-2006	380-440 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding	1990-2006	160-230 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding	1990-2006	90-100 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	breeding	1990-2006	40-60 breeding pairs	C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding	1990-2006	420-560 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	90-120 breeding pairs	C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter	1990-2006	240 individuals	C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage	1990-2006	700-800 individuals	C2
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	passage	1990-2006	1,600-3,000 individuals	C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	1990-2006	340-420 individuals	C1
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	1990-2006	90-100 breeding pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	20-30 breeding pairs	C6
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	170-180 breeding pairs	C1, C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Shrubland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other 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	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2000	Pădurea Stârmina	Rezervatie naturala	<1
2000	Pădurea Bunget	Rezervatie naturala	<1
2006	Pădurea Stârmina	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
2007	Blahnița	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	99
2011	Jiana	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	20
2013	Blahnita	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	-

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Water fringe vegetation	90
Grassland		5
Shrubland		5

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	70
agriculture	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Blahniţa (Romania). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/blahniţa-iba-romania on 23/11/2024.