Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Saltwater lagoons and saltmarshes with reedbeds (
Phragmites), abandoned salinas and orchards.
The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on passage and in winter, on a regular basis. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Tetrax tetrax (breeding, passage).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The IBA is adversely affected by shellfish gathering at night and by night hunting using live decoys. There is also industrial development at Pérols. Expansion of the airport within the IBA is possible.
National Low
International Low791 ha of IBA covered by 4 Hunting Reserves (Arnel; Vagaran; Méjean; Les Salins; total area 791 ha). 78 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Etang de l'Estagnol, 78 ha). 78 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Etang de l'Estagnol, 78 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Etangs Montpellierains (France). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/etangs-montpellierains-iba-france on 22/11/2024.
