Data Zone
Country/territory: Italy
IBA criteria met: A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6 (2002)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 2,017 ha
Site description (2000 baseline)
A complex of freshwater wetlands on the eastern Padana plain. Habitats include open water, reedbed, riverine woodland, wet grassland and agricultural areas crossed by three rivers. The area can be divided into the following subsites: Valle Santa, a wetland with reedbeds, Typha beds and wet grassland; Val Campotto, a wetland half-covered by water-lilies Nymphaea; Bassarone, an open water-body. The surroundings are mainly cultivated with maize, wheat, and poplar Populus plantations. The main use of the site is for nature conservation and research˜it is the main bird-ringing station in Italy.
Key biodiversity
There is a large heronry of Nycticorax nycticorax, Egretta garzetta and Ardeola ralloides, as well as the largest Italian colony of Phalacrocorax carbo. Winter waterbird data refer to January 1994 counts only. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (2-3 pairs breed), Acrocephalus paludicola (rare on passage).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Valli di Argenta (Italy). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/valli-di-argenta-iba-italy on 23/11/2024.