Data Zone
Country/territory: Portugal
IBA criteria met: A2, B3, C6 (2002)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 204 ha
Site description (2002 baseline)
Three rocky islets (Ilhéu de Cima, Ilhéu de Baixo and Ilhéu de Ferro) covered with scrub and Macaronesian coastal flora, located off the coast of Porto Santo. Two of the islands (Ilhéu de Ferro and Ilhéu de Cima) have lighthouses and the third was once used for mining lime. Two IBAs identified in the previous European IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989) (former sites 008 and 009) have been merged to form this one site.
Key biodiversity
Four species of shearwater and petrel (Procellariidae: Calonectris diomedea, Bulweria bulwerii, Oceanodroma castro and Puffinus assimilis) nest on these islands but as yet no in-depth study has been carried out. Sterna dougallii, S. hirundo and Larus cachinnans also breed. On land, Anthus berthelotii madeirensis (common), Serinus canaria, Petronia petronia madeirensis and Apus unicolor are of note.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ilhéus do Porto Santo (Portugal). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ilhéus-do-porto-santo-iba-portugal on 26/11/2024.