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• Reference and further resources

Country/territory: Portugal

IBA criteria met: B2, C2, C6 (2002)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 103,708 ha

Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves

Site description (2002 baseline)
This site is rich in natural habitat, some of them are associated to very specific bioclimatic and geologic conditions. The central point of Serra de Monchique has woodland with a complicated structure and with a high richness of flora, These woodland hold relics and endemismes, and due to the biodiversity of this site, it was identified as "hot-spot-forest" .The valleys of the mean rivers have populating and some agriculture practices of subsistence.

Key biodiversity
Important site for conservation of mediterranean diurnal and nocturnal raptors. Old site of breeding Aquila chrysaetos (last pair registered in 1999) and Aquila adalberti (last pair registered in 1980). It is the principal site of the second population of Hieraaetus fasciatus in Portugal, ocupating forestal habitat and breeding at trees. Also important for breeding Circaetus gallicus, located in the periphery of the areas that are ocupated for Hieraaetus fasciatus. Bubo bubo breeding at site. Also this site has a high value for migratory passerines and some soaring species.