Data Zone
Country/territory: Greece
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 50,000 hectares (500.00 km2)
Site description (2000 baseline)
A wetland complex with lagoons, saltpans (`Other' land-use, below), extensive saltmarshes, freshwater marshes, sandbanks, and a remnant area of alluvial forest.
Key biodiversity
This is an important site for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds and raptors. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Phalacrocorax pygmeus (wintering), Pelecanus crispus (10 wintering individuals), Aythya nyroca (passage), Haliaeetus albicilla (wintering), Aegypius monachus (wintering), Aquila clanga (wintering), Aquila heliaca (2 resident individuals), Gallinago media (passage). The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds in winter, on a regular basis (including Anas penelope 10,000; Anas crecca 3,000; Anas clypeata 3,000; Fulica atra 15,500).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mesolongi and Aitoliko lagoons, Acheloos delta and Evinos estuary (Greece). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mesolongi-and-aitoliko-lagoons-acheloos-delta-and-evinos-estuary-iba-greece on 23/12/2024.