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The site was identified as important in 2002 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
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis	LC	breeding	2002	20-120 individuals	C6
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	winter	2000	80-140 unknown	B2, C6
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	resident	1999	360-2,400 breeding pairs	A1, B2, C1, C2, C6
Great Bustard Otis tarda	EN	resident	2000	900 breeding pairs	A1, C1, C2, C6
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	breeding	1996	120-180 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	LC	breeding	1996	100-150 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding	2001	frequent	C6
Little Owl Athene noctua	LC	resident	2002	2,000-4,000 breeding pairs	B2
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus	LC	resident	2002	8-10 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti	VU	non-breeding	2002	2-3 individuals	C6
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	non-breeding	2002	10 individuals	C6
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata	LC	breeding	2002	1 breeding pairs	C6
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata	LC	non-breeding	2002	15 individuals	C6
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding	1996	50-80 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Red Kite Milvus milvus	LC	winter	2002	190 individuals	C6
Black Kite Milvus migrans	LC	breeding	1996	7-15 breeding pairs	C6
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	breeding	1996	40-60 breeding pairs	C6
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	breeding	2001	186-187 breeding pairs	A1, C1, C2, C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	winter	2002	uncommon	C6
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra	LC	breeding	1999	400-8,500 breeding pairs	C6
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla	LC	resident	2001	common	C6
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica	LC	breeding	2002	common	B2

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2002) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2002. The most recent assessment (2005) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Artificial/Terrestrial	very poor (< 40%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2000	Castro Verde	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	78
Forest	Broadleaved evergreen woodland	22

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	78
forestry	22
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Castro Verde plains (Portugal). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/castro-verde-plains-iba-portugal on 22/11/2024.