The Evros Delta Ecology

Info credits to www.ornithologiki.gr, Greek Ornithological Society

Area Description

A coastal wetland complex formed by the delta of the River Evros on the Greece/Turkey border.

Habitats: Artificial landscapes (23%, Arable land), Forest (6%, Alluvial and very wet forest), Grassland (5%, Humid grasslands), Wetland (63%, Coastal lagoons; Salt marshes; Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters; Water fringe vegetation)

Land use: agriculture (80%), fisheries/aquaculture (20%), military (50%), nature conservation and research, tourism/recreation (30%), water management (100%)

Protection status
National Partial, International Partial
4,600 ha of Important Bird Area (IBA) covered by Wildlife Refuge (Delta Evrou, 4,600 ha). Part of IBA covered by Protected Area. 9,267 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Evros Delta, 9,267 ha).
12540 ha of the IBA are covered by Special Protection Area (SPA) Delta Evrou (GR1110001).

Birds
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 (photo / 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.

Note: photo under GNU license