• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2007 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
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding	1990-2006	100-120 breeding pairs	C1, C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding	1990-2006	254-280 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding	1990-2006	28-44 breeding pairs	C6
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding	1990-2006	380-440 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding	1990-2006	160-230 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding	1990-2006	90-100 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding	1990-2006	320-360 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	120-140 breeding pairs	C2, C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter	1990-2006	240 individuals	C2
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage	1990-2006	300-800 individuals	C2
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	passage	1990-2006	1,600-3,000 individuals	C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	1990-2006	50 individuals	C1
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	breeding	1990-2006	1-3 breeding pairs	C6
European Roller Coracias garrulus	LC	breeding	1990-2006	70-80 breeding pairs	C1
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	breeding	1990-2006	1 breeding pairs	C1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Artificial/Terrestrial	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Forest	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

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)	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2007	Gruia - Gârla Mare	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	47
2011	Dunărea la Gârla Mare - Maglavit	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	75
2011	Jiana	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	10

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Alluvial and very wet forest	52
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Water fringe vegetation	26
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	22

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gruia - Gârla Mare (Romania). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gruia--gârla-mare-iba-romania on 23/11/2024.