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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2002 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
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (2001)	4,700–7,850 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter (2000)	100–350 birds	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio	LC	resident (2002)	21–24 pairs	C6
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	resident (2002)	50 pairs	C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	winter (1996)	150–350 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding (1996)	5–11 pairs	C6
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (1996)	frequent	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (1996)	650–750 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	resident (2002)	218–247 pairs	C6
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	resident (1996)	350–400 pairs	C6
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	winter (1996)	350–400 birds	C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter (1996)	1,700–3,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	winter (1996)	2,000–4,500 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	resident (1996)	800–1,200 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter (1996)	2,000–4,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (1996)	1,900–4,200 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage (1996)	700–1,200 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter (1996)	500–1,000 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (1996)	12,000–22,500 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1996)	25–45 pairs	B2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1996)	200–300 pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1996)	min 20,000 birds	A4iii, C4

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2002. The most recent assessment (2005) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1978	Ria Formosa	Parque Natural (V)	76

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	-	Arable land; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Forestry plantations; Other urban and industrial areas
Forest	-	Native coniferous woodland
Introduced vegetation	-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	-
Marine Intertidal	-
Marine Neritic	-
Shrubland	-	Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
forestry	-
military	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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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 23/12/2024.