Current view: Text account
Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
Ilhéu da Praia is a rocky islet with high seacliffs on its northern side and a gravel beach on its southern shore. In the top of the islet a plateau with short grasses covers most of the area.
Important for breeding seabirds, especially for the Madeiran Storm Petrels, for which both 'cold' and 'hot' populations exist. Only record of breeding attempt of Red-billed Tropicbird and obly place where two Petrels of the genus
Pterodroma were listened and captured.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The islet of Ilhéu da Praia is very disturbed by local leisure activities. Capture of Cory's Shearwaters (chicks and adults) has been a common practice for fishermen. Introduced rabbits increased soil erosion and destroy many seabird nests, but after their erradication in 1997 the situation has ammeliorated. Active management of the Ilhéu da Praia is due to a LIFE project and knowledge about the seabirds is quite good. The absence of the establishment of the SPA by the regional law constitutes a weakness in its surveillance and legal protection. There is a management plan for the SPA Ilhéu da Praia.
National none
International Special Protection Area Ilhéu da Praia.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ilhéu da Praia (Portugal). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ilhéu-da-praia-iba-portugal on 23/11/2024.
