Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
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.
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).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There are two main threats. Coypu
Myocastor coypus (an introduced, non-native aquatic rodent) have caused breeding
Chlidonias hybridus to decline by largely destroying the cover of water-lilies
Nymphaea. Nitrates and phosphates from agricultural fields are polluting the wetlands with excess nutrients. Some or all of the site is covered by a management plan. Coypu numbers are controlled by the local management body (Consorzio di Bonifica Renana). There is regular monitoring of herons and
Phalacrocorax carbo by the Università di Bologna. Species listed in the EC Habitats and Birds Directives are censused by Regione Emilia Romagna.
National High
International HighIBA contains Wildlife Reserve (Valli Argenta e Marmorta, area not known). 2,000 ha of IBA covered by Regional Nature Park (Delta del Po, 59,118 ha). 1,830 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Valle Santa e Val Campotto, 1,830 ha). 1,363 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Valle Campotto e Bassarone, 1,363 ha). 261 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Valle Santa, 261 ha).
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.
