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Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
This site, located in the region of Beira Alta, includes a part of the Côa Valley, a steep valley with cliffs and rock formation of granites and schists.The vegetation is scrub of Genista with dispersed woodland of oak (Q. ilex) while in thermophile areas is present broom.Olive and almond plantations are the agriculture of this region. Also there is shepherding in the plain areas or soft slopes.
The site holds important numbers of cliff-nesting bird species. The breeding population of
Neophron percnopterus occurs in this area and it is one of the most important in Portugal.It is siginificative the number of
Aquila chrysaetos, Hieraaetus fasciatus and too for
Oenanthe leucura that occurs in arid areas of IBA.Also there are several passerines.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There is not any plan management to nature conservation in this site, but the management plan for Archaeologic Park of Vale do Côa is in advance stage.There are plans to build several large dams in the IBA, which will flood part of the area.progressively feeding-habitats of cliff-nesting birds have been degraded.
National Special Protection Area Vale do Rio Côa,20628 ha overlaps with IBAArcheologic Park Vale do Côa
InternationalIBA overlaps with Special Protection Area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Côa valley (Portugal). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/côa-valley-iba-portugal on 22/11/2024.
