Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site lies just to the south-west of Lac Oubeïra (site DZ001) and consists of a low-lying marsh flooded in winter by water from the Oued El Kebir. It forms part of the El Kala wetlands complex and remains wet throughout the summer due to the high water-table in the surrounding dunes. The site consists of a mixture of open water and wet woodland, with
Fraxinus angustifolia,
Laurus sp. and
Ulmus sp. at the edges and
Alnus glutinosa and
Salix spp. dominant in the centre. There are also tall tussocks of
Carex elata in the centre of the site and the areas of open water are dominated by
Nymphaea alba, which is rare in Algeria, and
Potamogeton spp. Another national rarity,
Lycopus europaeus, is also present.
See Box for key species. The site is principally important for its mixed breeding colony of
Bubulcus ibis and
Egretta garzetta and also as a winter roost for these two species. It is an ideal site for breeding herons, because of its inaccessibility and the shelter from wind provided by the surrounding tall trees, and is the only area where substantial numbers of
B. ibis were found in Algeria in the 1980s.Other species observed in and around the marsh include
Tachybaptus ruficollis and a variety of raptors (all in small numbers):
Milvus migrans,
Gyps fulvus,
Circus aeruginosus,
Accipiter nisus,
Buteo rufinus and
Hieraaetus pennatus.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site lies within the Parc National d’El Kala and the El Kala Biosphere Reserve. The species-rich alder woodland (similar in composition to that at Lac Tonga, site DZ002) is regarded as being of high conservation significance in North Africa and this, together with the importance of the heronry, means that the site merits protection. Plans to dam the Oued El Kebir at Mexanna (to provide domestic water for the city of El Kala) could have a serious detrimental impact on this wetland.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bou Redim (Algeria). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bou-redim-iba-algeria on 27/12/2024.
