Data Zone
Country/territory: Italy
IBA criteria met: C2, C6 (2002)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 3,795 ha
Site description (2000 baseline)
A shallow lake, close to the town of Viareggio, 4 km from the Tyrrhenian coast. The lake is surrounded by a belt of reeds Phragmites of variable width and there is a large freshwater marshland (Padule) adjacent to the lake on the north side, consisting of stands of sedge Cladium with scattered pools and canals. The surrounding areas are intensively cultivated. Main land-uses are agriculture, nature conservation and tourism.
Key biodiversity
An important breeding site for reedbed species, notably Botaurus stellaris (the main breeding site in Italy), and a key staging site for the globally threatened Numenius tenuirostris. Formerly much more important for wintering waterbirds, especially Fulica atra (tens of thousands); decline due especially to hunting and a reduction in the extent of submerged vegetation. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (max. 4 birds in winter).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Massaciuccoli (Italy). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-massaciuccoli-iba-italy on 23/11/2024.