Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A complex of wetlands along the south-east coast of Sicily, around the town of Catania, and including the following sites: Biviere di Lentini, a freshwater reservoir; Foce del Simeto, a river-mouth; Traversa di Ponte Barca, a stretch of the Simeto river. There are large reedbeds at Biviere di Lentini. The main land-uses are water-resource management at Biviere di Lentini (for domestic water-supply), and nature conservation at Foce del Simeto. The surrounding areas are largely agricultural.
A very important site for waterbirds while breeding (especially
Aythya nyroca and herons), migrating (e.g.
Plegadis falcinellus,
Platalea leucorodia) and wintering. The site holds more than 20,000 waterbirds on a regular basis, with
Larus ridibundus especially common in winter.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Water management at Biviere di Lentini is the main threat (`Other' threat). The aqueduct for filling the reservoir has never been built, but its completion remains a possibility, and would destroy the wetland complex at this site. Some or all of the site is covered by a management plan.
National Partial
International Unknown400 ha of IBA covered by Regional Nature Reserve (Oasi del Simeto, 1,859 ha). Overlaps with SPA.
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.
