Current view: Text account
Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
This site is in the mouth of River Mondego. River Mondego is divided in two arms surrounding alluvion island( Ilha de Murraceira).The two arms are joined again about 1 Km of the mouth, in front of Figueira da Foz. South arm has intertidal areas, salt marshes and reedbeds. Ilha Murraceira and south area of south arm has salt marshes and aquaculture. The area between south arm and River Pranto holds salt marshes, reedbeds and rice-fields
During the winter and migrations the estuary has a great value for waterbirds, notably for
Recurvirostra avosetta with more than 700 individuals.this site has two breeding couples of
Circus aeruginosus, the number of this species rises during the winter.Very records of
Pandion haliaetus confirm the importance of this site as wintering and passage migratory place.Also
ardea purpurea is here during breeding season
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Excessive flux of nutrients from agriculture of Baixo Mondego Valley cause filling-in. There is a gradual transformation of actives salt marshes(salinas) in aquaculture or abandoned salt marshes what reduce the feeding and nesting habitat for waders.Hunting of waders and flamingos has been registered.
National:NoneInternational:None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mondego Estuary (Portugal). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mondego-estuary-iba-portugal on 23/12/2024.
