Murta dam (372)
Portugal, Europe

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2002

National site name: Açude da Murta

Central coordinates: Latitude: 38.3833, Longitude: -8.7000

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 9 to 31

Area of KBA (km²): 4.97587

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Regional

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: A small reservoir and marshes, very close to the west coast of Portugal, at the southern edge of the Sado estuary (023). The wetland is surrounded by inland sand-dunes which are planted with stone pine Pinus pinea.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.

Additional biodiversity: An important heronry.The site also holds nationally important numbers of wintering duck.

Habitats

Land use: forestry | water management (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Shrubland	33
Artificial - Terrestrial	33
Wetlands(Inland)	33

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There is illegal bird-hunting in autumn and winter, and uncontrolled visitors to the area can cause significant disturbance to breeding herons and egrets. In some years the water of the reservoir, which is used for irrigating the nearby rice-fields, reaches very low levels during the breeding season, allowing predators to reach the nesting birds (`Other' threat, above).

Additional information