Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2011 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara | LC | resident (2009) | 15–30 pairs | B2, C2 |
| Cory's Shearwater Calonectris borealis | LC | breeding (2007) | max 300 pairs | B2 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2011. The most recent assessment (2008) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2008 | good | high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara | 6 / 6 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Plain Swift Apus unicolor | 50 / 50 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Calonectris diomedea | 60 / 60 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Burhinus oedicnemus | 10 / 10 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus | 10 / 10 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Lanius excubitor | 13 / 13 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Spectacled Warbler Curruca conspicillata | 30 / 30 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Berthelot's Pipit Anthus berthelotii | 50 / 50 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus | 30 / 30 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in short term (<4 years) | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Pollution | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Most of area (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species) | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Montaña de Guaza | Monumento Natural (III) | 47 |
| 1994 | Malpaís de La Rasca | Reserva Natural Especial (V) | 21 |
| 1994 | Malpaís de la Rasca | Special Nature Reserve (-) | 21 |
| 1994 | Montaña de Guaza | Natural Monument (-) | 49 |
The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.
| Name | Year formed |
|---|---|
| Ayuntamiento de Arona | 0 |
| Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre (Cabildo) | 0 |
| Oficina Voluntariado Ambiental (Cabildo) | 0 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 26 | Semidesert |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | - | Arable land |
| Grassland | - | Steppes and dry calcareous grassland |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | - | Inland cliffs |
| Shrubland | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 26 |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rasca lava fields-Guaza mountain-Las Mesas plain (Spain). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rasca-lava-fields-guaza-mountain-las-mesas-plain-iba-spain on 23/12/2024.