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The site was identified as important in 2011 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
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	resident	2005	100-150 individuals	A1, C1
Black Stork Ciconia nigra	LC	passage	2008	40-50 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Black Stork Ciconia nigra	LC	breeding	2008	10-14 breeding pairs	B1i, C2, C6
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	breeding	2005	150-200 breeding pairs	C6
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus	LC	resident	2008	165-170 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus	NT	resident	2006	18-20 breeding pairs	A1, B1iii, B2, C1, C2, C6
Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti	VU	resident	2011	32-36 breeding pairs	A1, B2, C1, C2, C6
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	resident	2009	10-12 breeding pairs	C6
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata	LC	resident	2005	max 1 breeding pairs	C6
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus	LC	breeding	2009	80-100 breeding pairs	B1iii, C2, C6
Red Kite Milvus milvus	LC	winter	2004	20-30 individuals	A1, C1
Red Kite Milvus milvus	LC	non-breeding	2004	40-50 individuals	A1, C1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2011) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2011. The most recent assessment (2007) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	very poor (< 40%)	good (> 90%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	Not assessed	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1961	Pinar de Abantos y Zona de la Herreria del Real Sitio de San Lorenzo del Escorial	Paraje Pintoresco	1
1989	Encinares del río Alberche y río Cofio	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	38
1997	Sierra de San Vicente y valles del Tiétar y Alberche	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	4
1999	Cuencas de los ríos Alberche y Cofio	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	38
1999	Pinares del Bajo Alberche - ZEPA	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	11
1999	Cuenca del río Guadarrama	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	6
1999	Curso Medio del Río Guadarrama y su entorno	Parque Regional	4
2000	Campo Azálvaro - Pinares de Peguerinos - ZEPA	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	13
2000	Campo Azálvaro - Pinares de Peguerinos	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	13
2000	Pinares Del Bajo Alberche	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	11
2005	Pinar de Almorox	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	<1
2010	Sierra Norte de Guadarrama	Parque Natural	4

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Alluvial and very wet forest, Broadleaved evergreen woodland, Treeline ecotone	26
Shrubland	Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis	26
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Perennial crops, orchards and groves, Ruderal land	-
Grassland	Dry siliceous grassland	-
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Scree & boulders	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
forestry	26
hunting	26
agriculture	26
tourism/recreation	26
urban/industrial/transport	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: El Escorial-San Martín de Valdeiglesias (Spain). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/el-escorial-san-martín-de-valdeiglesias-iba-spain on 22/11/2024.