Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
An area of limestone cliffs and several large gorges. The vegetation includes alpine grassland, scrub, and
Quercus,
Fagus and
Pinus forests. The main human activities are forestry, hunting and livestock-grazing.
This is an important site for cliff-nesting birds and a wintering site for
Perdix perdix. The site holds the largest
Gyps fulvus colonies in Spain.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The most important threats are from intensive forestry and logging, hunting and disturbance from visitors. A management plan exists for the reserves.
National Low
International Partial393 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Acantilados de la Piedra y San Adrián, 393 ha). 1,164 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Foz de Arbayun, 1,164 ha). 153 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Foz de Benasa, 153 ha). 115 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Foz de Burgui, 115 ha). 40 ha of IBA covered by Natural Reserve (Foz de Lumbier, 40 ha). 160 ha of IBA covered by Wild Fauna Reserve (Mendibeltza, 160 ha). 2,987 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Sierra de San Miguel, 2,987 ha). 9,020 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Foz de Arbayun-Sierra de Leyre, 9,020 ha). 4,619 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Foz de Burgui-Sierra de Illón, 4,619 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Leyre, Illón and San Miguel mountain ranges (Spain). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/leyre-illón-and-san-miguel-mountain-ranges-iba-spain on 23/11/2024.
