Evros delta (986)
Greece, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Delta Evrou
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.8667, Longitude: 26.0000
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 188.03564
Protected area coverage (%): 98.66
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A coastal wetland complex formed by the delta of the River Evros on the Greece/Turkey border (adjacent to Turkish IBA 001).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: A very important site for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds, raptors and passerines. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (breeding, passage), Oxyura leucocephala (wintering), Haliaeetus albicilla (breeding, wintering), Aquila heliaca (non-breeding), Falco naumanni (passage), Larus audouinii (non-breeding). The site is a major migratory bottleneck, where more than 5,000 Ciconia ciconia regularly pass.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (80%) | fisheries/aquaculture (20%) | military (50%) | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation (30%) | water management (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 33 | |
| Marine Neritic | 17 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 23 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 17 | |
| Forest | 6 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There are many threats to the site including the effects of intensive agriculture, drainage, groundwater abstraction and hunting. There have been two recent LIFE projects on Numenius tenuirostris and on Phalacrocorax pygmaeus and Anser erythropus. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.