Current view: Text account
Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
A small reservoir and marshes, very close to the west coast of Portugal, at the southern edge of the Sado estuary (023). The wetland is surrounded by inland sand-dunes which are planted with stone pine
Pinus pinea.
An important heronry.The site also holds nationally important numbers of wintering duck.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There is illegal bird-hunting in autumn and winter, and uncontrolled visitors to the area can cause significant disturbance to breeding herons and egrets. In some years the water of the reservoir, which is used for irrigating the nearby rice-fields, reaches very low levels during the breeding season, allowing predators to reach the nesting birds (`Other' threat, above).
National:Special Protection Area Açude da Murta, 498ha overlaps witha IBA
SIC Comporta/ Costa da Galé, 32051 ha, contains all IBA.
International: Special Protection Area Açude da Murta, SIC Conporta/ Costa da Galé; Ramsar Site Estuário do Sado, 25,588 ha, contains IBA..
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Murta dam (Portugal). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/murta-dam-iba-portugal on 23/11/2024.
