Data Zone
Country/territory: Tunisia
IBA criteria met: A4i (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 1,000 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2009 | not assessed | medium | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
The site is partly a coastal lagoon, on the eastern coastline, south of Korba lagoons and 25 km south of Hammamet. In most years it dries out entirely in summer, unlike Korba. It is also partly a saline depression, receiving run-off from the Dorsale mountains, and is surrounded by agricultural land. The vegetation is mainly salt-tolerant, with Arthrocnemum, Salicornia and Atriplex species dominant.
Key biodiversity
See Box for key species. The site is also important, especially in wet winters, for other wintering waterbirds including Ardea cinerea, and a variety of ducks notably Anas penelope and A. clypeata. Grus grus use the site as a roost, especially in winters when Kelbia is dry. On the beach seaward of the lagoon, some Sterna species breed, in particular S. albifrons and perhaps also S. hirundo.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sebkhet Sidi Khelifa (Tunisia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sebkhet-sidi-khelifa-iba-tunisia on 23/11/2024.