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The site was identified as important in 2000 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	breeding	1997	200 breeding pairs	B2
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	breeding	1991	100-500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding	1997	1-10 breeding pairs	C6
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding	1991	25-40 breeding pairs	C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding	1991	10-100 breeding pairs	C6
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	LC	breeding	1991	10-100 breeding pairs	B2
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	breeding	1997	1-10 breeding pairs	C6
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding	1991	100-500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black Tern Chlidonias niger	LC	breeding	1991	1-10 breeding pairs	C6
Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus	LC	breeding	1991	1-10 breeding pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	1991	10-100 breeding pairs	C6
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding	1991	1-10 breeding pairs	C6
Red Kite Milvus milvus	LC	breeding	1991	10-100 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Black Kite Milvus migrans	LC	breeding	1991	10-100 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis	LC	breeding	1991	10-100 breeding pairs	C6
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus	LC	breeding	1991	100-500 breeding pairs	B2
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio	LC	breeding	1991	100-500 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	unknown	1991	min 20,000 individuals	A4iii, C4

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2000) may differ.

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	FR174	Hunting Reserve	<1
1994	Etang de la Ronze	Arrêté de protection de biotope	<1
1995	Milieux alluviaux et aquatiques de la Loire	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	2
1995	Lignon; Vizezy, Anzon et leurs affluents	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1
1995	Etangs du Forez	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
2004	Écozone du Forez	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	<1
2006	Plaine du Forez	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	41
2006	Gorges de la Loire aval	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	5
2009	Etang des Plantées	Arrêté de protection de biotope	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	-
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Alluvial and very wet forest	-
Grassland	Dry siliceous grassland, Humid grasslands	-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
forestry	-
hunting	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Plaine du Forez (France). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/plaine-du-forez-iba-france on 22/11/2024.