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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
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (1992–2001)	5–25 pairs	A1, C1, C2, C6
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	winter (1992–2001)	50–300 birds	A1, C1, C6
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	breeding (1992–2001)	2–6 pairs	C6
White Stork Ciconia ciconia	LC	winter (1992–2001)	4–12 birds	C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	winter (1992–2001)	30–100 birds	C6
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (1992–2001)	80–150 pairs	C2, C6
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (1992–2001)	100 pairs	C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	winter (1992–2001)	50–200 birds	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter (1992–2001)	200–750 birds	C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (1992–2001)	40–200 birds	B2
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	winter (1992–2001)	100–150 birds	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	winter (1992–2001)	10–200 birds	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	winter (1992–2001)	50–150 birds	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1992–2001)	27,000–48,000 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 (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	5 / 25 (pairs)	20	very poor
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio	60 / 100 (pairs)	60	poor
Ixobrychus minutus	20 / 125 (pairs)	16	very poor
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	0 / 5 (pairs)	0	very poor
Charadrius alexandrinus	0 / 10 (pairs)	0	very poor

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	-	moderate (70–90%)	very poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1984	Riserva naturale Oasi del Simeto	Riserva naturale regionale/provinciale (IV)	8

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)	Standing freshwater; Rivers and streams; Water fringe vegetation
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	minor (<10)
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
water management	67
nature conservation and research	26
hunting	7

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Simeto mouth and middle course and Biviere di Lentini (Italy). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/simeto-mouth-and-middle-course-and-biviere-di-lentini-iba-italy on 23/12/2024.