FR214
Etangs de Leucate et Lapalme


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2000 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 List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus LC winter (1997) 529–805 birds A4i, B1i, C2
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus LC passage (1997) 500–1,500 birds A4i, B1i, C2
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta LC breeding (1997) 50–60 pairs C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus LC breeding (1997) 100–180 pairs B2
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei LC breeding (1997) 50–100 pairs C2
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis LC winter (1997) 5,615–8,700 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis LC breeding (1997) 4,000 pairs A4i, B1i, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons LC breeding (1997) 50–100 pairs C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus LC breeding (1997) 10–15 pairs C6
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla LC breeding (1997) 50–250 pairs C6
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon LC breeding (1997) 50–250 pairs C2, C6
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes n/a passage (1991) min 20,000 birds A4iv, B1iv, C5

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
- Salses-Leucate Hunting Reserve (-) 1
- La Rigole Hunting Reserve (-) <1
1982 LE BOURDIGOU Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
1983 PLA DE LAS FORQUES Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
1984 Mas Larrieu Réserve naturelle nationale (IV) <1
1987 DOMAINE DE FRESCATI Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
1994 PLATEAU DE LA FRANQUI Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
1994 LA CARAMOUN Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
1996 Moulin d'Ensourd Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
1997 LES COUSSOULES Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
2000 ETANG DE LA PALME Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
2000 RIVES DE FITOU Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
2003 La Narbonnaise en Méditerranée Parc naturel régional (V) 2
2003 LE MOURET Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
2006 ETANG DE SALSES Terrain acquis par le Conservatoire du Littoral (IV) <1
2011 Golfe du Lion Parc naturel marin (V) 69

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal major (>10)
Marine Intertidal major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial minor (<10) Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Arable land; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Urban parks and gardens; Ruderal land
Forest minor (<10) Native coniferous woodland; Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved evergreen woodland
Grassland minor (<10) Steppes and dry calcareous grassland
Marine Neritic minor (<10)
Shrubland minor (<10) Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture -
fisheries/aquaculture -
hunting -
tourism/recreation -
urban/industrial/transport -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Etangs de Leucate et Lapalme (France). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/etangs-de-leucate-et-lapalme-iba-france on 23/12/2024.