Data Zone
Country/territory: Portugal
IBA criteria met: A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6 (2002)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 23,296 hectares (232.96 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2005 | not assessed | low | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2002 baseline)
An extensive lagoon system with large areas of sandflats, mudflats and saltmarshes, located on the south coast of Portugal. The lagoons are protected from the open sea by a long, thin, discontinuous belt of sand-dunes.
Key biodiversity
The site is important for numerous waterbirds, especially for beach-nesting Charadrius alexandrinus and Sterna albifrons and for wintering waders and duck, holding 20,000 or more wintering waterbirds on a regular basis. The reedbeds of the site are important for several nesting waterbird species, as well as for large numbers of migrating passerines during both autumn and spring migration.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ria Formosa (Faro lagoon) (Portugal). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ria-formosa-(faro-lagoon)-iba-portugal on 22/12/2024.