Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Sheer sea cliffs (135 m high), on the island of Gozo, with profuse vegetation on some ledges.
The cliffs support the largest breeding colony of
Calonectris diomedea in the Maltese islands, and are a stronghold for
Monticola solitarius. One of the last known breeding pairs of
Falco peregrinus in Malta nested here, but was shot in the early 1980s, and a pair of
Tyto alba used to breed here in the 1970s. The rocky cliff-top area is one of the best breeding areas in Malta for
Calandrella brachydactyla,
Sylvia conspicillata and
Miliaria calandra.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Illegal shooting and trapping of birds is a problem. The site is threatened by proposed tourist development. The cliffs are of interest for their undisturbed garrigue vegetation and associated animal communities.
National High
International None2 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Ta'Cenc Cliffs, 2 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ta'Cenc cliffs (Malta). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tacenc-cliffs-iba-malta on 22/11/2024.
