Mia Milia Sewage Treatment Plant (31301)
Cyprus, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Mia Milia Sewage Treatment Plant
Central coordinates: Latitude: 35.1940, Longitude: 33.4562
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 85 to 100
Area of KBA (km2): 5.92527
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A man-made set of sewage treatment pools on the meandering course of the seasonal Pedieos River across the open expanses of the Mesaoria Plain. This newly identified IBA is on the outskirts of the capital, Nicosia, and north of the island’s UN-controlled buffer zone. The site has regularly attracted small but significant numbers of the globally threatened Whiteheaded Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) in the winter months. It is also among the ‘top 5’ breeding sites in Cyprus for two key breeding waders, the Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) and the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). It also hosts a small but significant breeding number of Calandra Larks (Melanocorypha calandra).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 100 |
Additional information
References: Hellicar, M.A., Anastasi, V., Beton, D. & Snape, R. (2014). Important Bird Areas of Cyprus. BirdLife Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.