An ornithological survey of Algerian wetlands: Important Bird Areas, Ramsar sites and threatened species

Abstract

Surveys were undertaken of 100 major wetlands across ten distinct regions of Algeria
in 2002–2008, to determine the numbers of wetland birds using these sites, to
provide new data on wetlands of international importance, and thus to indicate
priorities for conservation action. Ninety-nine wetland birds were recorded and 41
sites met one or more of the criteria required for an Important Bird Area (IBA). This
brough the total number of sites qualifying as IBAs in Algeria to 53 of which 21 are
not currently listed as part of the IBA network. Fourteen of Algeria’s current IBAs
qualify as Ramsar sites, and all 21 of the potential IBAs also qualify for designation
as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The sites
visited during the surveys were spread across the Tell, the Hauts Plateaux and the
Sahara and most held over 1% of a threatened waterbird species. Many of the sites
included in the surveys were found to be more important for breeding and migratory
waterbirds than had previously been recognised, and their locations along three
north–south corridors make them particularly vital as staging areas before or after
crossing the Sahara desert. We focused on sites used by wetland birds for breeding
and found that Lake Fetzara was particularly important, hosting 23 of the 36 species
known to breed in northeast Algeria. Building upon previous work, the present study
provides a thorough assessment of the ornithological importance of Algerian
wetlands. Many of the internationally important sites and ornithological hot-spots
are under heavy pressure from man and are in urgent need of protection and other
conservation measures.

Full text

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71
©Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
Wildfowl (2008) 58: 71–96
An ornithological survey of Algerian wetlands:
Important Bird Areas, Ramsar sites and
threatened species
BOUDJÉMA SAMRAOUI & FARRAH SAMRAOUI
Laboratoire de Recherche des Zones Humides, Département de Biologie,
University of Guelma, 4 rue Hassi-Beïda, Annaba, Algeria.
Email: bsamraoui@yahoo.fr
Abstract
Surveys were undertaken of 100 major wetlands across ten distinct regions of Algeria
in 2002–2008, to determine the numbers of wetland birds using these sites, to
provide new data on wetlands of international importance, and thus to indicate
priorities for conservation action. Ninety-nine wetland birds were recorded and 41
sites met one or more of the criteria required for an Important Bird Area (IBA). This
brough the total number of sites qualifying as IBAs in Algeria to 53 of which 21 are
not currently listed as part of the IBA network. Fourteen of Algeria’s current IBAs
qualify as Ramsar sites, and all 21 of the potential IBAs also qualify for designation
as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The sites
visited during the surveys were spread across the Tell, the Hauts Plateaux and the
Sahara and most held over 1% of a threatened waterbird species. Many of the sites
included in the surveys were found to be more important for breeding and migratory
waterbirds than had previously been recognised, and their locations along three
north–south corridors make them particularly vital as staging areas before or after
crossing the Sahara desert. We focused on sites used by wetland birds for breeding
and found that Lake Fetzara was particularly important, hosting 23 of the 36 species
known to breed in northeast Algeria. Building upon previous work, the present study
provides a thorough assessment of the ornithological importance of Algerian
wetlands. Many of the internationally important sites and ornithological hot-spots
are under heavy pressure from man and are in urgent need of protection and other
conservation measures.
Key words: breeding, conservation status, migration, North Africa, ornithological
hot-spots, stopover, waterbirds, winter quarters.

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The bird fauna of Algeria is relatively well
known, due to data collected by dedicated
ornithologists over the past two centuries
(Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962; Ledant et
al. 1981; Isenmann & Moali 2000). Yet there
are major gaps in knowledge of the birds’
status, distribution, seasonal movements
and habitat use, particularly for wetland
species. Algeria houses a great diversity of
wetlands which are important staging posts
and wintering grounds for migrating
Palearctic birds (Stevenson et al. 1988;
Coulthard 2001; Boulkhssaïm et al. 2006).
The country also includes important
breeding sites for several rare, endangered
or biome-restricted species including
Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii, White-
headed Duck
Oxyura
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Marbled
Teal
Marmorenetta
Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonora (Spaans et al.
1976; Jacob & Jacob 1980). However, lack of
data on distribution,
population trends has made it difficult
to draw firm conclusions about the
conservation status of some species and to
develop action plans for species threatened
by human pressure on Algerian wetlands.
The Important Bird Areas (IBA)
programme of BirdLife International is a
global initiative aimed at identifying and
protecting a network of critical sites for the
conservation of the world’s birds (Fishpool &
Evans 2001). The IBA programme in Africa,
which commenced in 1993, identified 31
IBAs in Algeria, of which 22 were wetlands
(Coulthard 2001). In the light of continued
threats to waterbirds through global climate
change and anthropogenic pressures, we
undertook further surveys of Algerian
leucocephala,
angustirostris
and
breeding and
wetlands in the early 21st century to identify
additional potential IBAs, and also sites that
would qualify for designation as wetlands of
international importance under the Ramsar
Convention. Current and pending threats to
the integrity of these sites were recorded,
together with potential measures for ensuring
their effective conservation.
Study sites
With a total area of 2,381,741 km2,
Algeria is the second largest country in
Africa and has a typical Mediterranean
climate characterised by alternating wet and
dry seasons. There is a distinct latitudinal
gradient in the climate, from sub-tropical in
the coastal northeast part of the country to
semi-arid in the Hauts Plateaux and an arid
climate across the Sahara.
The surveys were made across ten distinct
regions within three broad climatic belts: the
coastal wetlands and the Atlas Mountains
(collectively known as the Tell), the Hauts
Plateaux, and the Sahara. Environmental
conditions varied between the climate belts
due to different combinations of rainfall,
latitude and altitude. The Tell is also more
densely inhabited with major towns (Algiers,
Oran and Annaba) concentrated on the
coastal plains. There were six regions in the
Tell: (1) Eastern Numidia (EN), (2) Western
Numidia (WN), (3) Guelma wetlands (G), (4)
the Jijel complex (JC), (5) the Algiers region
(AR), and (6) the Oran complex (OC); three
regions in the Hauts Plateaux: (7) Eastern
High Plateaux (EHP), (8) Central High
Plateaux (CHP), (9) Western High Plateaux
(WHP), and (10) Sahara (S) was treated as a
single zone (Fig. 1). Surveys in the Sahara

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200 km
Grand Erg Oriental
Grand Erg Occidental
Ahaggar
Tassili n-Ajjer
Erg Chech
HautsPlateaux
Tell
Algiers
Sahara
Spain
Morocco
Tunisia
Mali
Niger
Algeria
Libya
Mediterranean Sea
Mauritania
WHP
OC
CHP
AR
EHP
S
EN
G
WN
JC
Ham ada d u D raa
Saharan Atlas
Figure 1. The location of the ten regions surveyed across Algeria. The six regions in the Tell are:
Eastern Numidia (EN), Western Numidia (WN), Guelma wetlands (G), the Jijel complex (JC), the
Algiers region (AR), and (6) the Oran complex (OC). The three regions in the Hauts Plateaux are:
Eastern High Plateaux (EHP), Central High Plateaux (CHP), and Western High Plateaux (WHP). The
Saharan region (S) covers a wide area, south of the Saharan Atlas Mountains to the middle of the Sahara
desert.

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were mainly in the Oued Righ valley and at
El Goléa.
Methods
Between 2002 and 2008, attempts were
made to survey all major wetlands within the
three climatic belts. Many of the wetlands
visited were known from previous surveys
(Samraoui & Menaï 1999; Samraoui &
Corbet 2000). Some new areas were located
from maps and a few were introduced to us
by conservationists. Phenological data were
recorded simply as the presence or absence
of species seen at each site during surveys
made half-monthly in Numidia and monthly
for the Eastern Hauts Plateaux region in
each year of the study, although the birds
were also often counted. More frequent
surveys, involving at least two field-trips per
week, were undertaken by 2–4 people (the
authors and students) throughout the
breeding season (February–August). Half-
monthly counts (in eastern Numidia),
monthly counts (in eastern Hauts Plateaux
and the Sahara) and winter counts (in
western Numidia and Jijel) were also carried
out by co-workers for a number of years
during the study period; these have been
reported separately for some species
(Boulkhssaïm et al. 2006; Samraoui &
Samraoui 2007). Several of the sites were
large salt lakes, at which it is difficult to
obtain a complete count of the birds present
from ground surveys, so only minimum
numbers were recorded.
Sampling effort was not uniform across
the study area. Indeed, more effort was
devoted to wetlands in eastern Algeria,
which is in part justified by the number and
diversity of habitats in that region. Some
wetlands, mainly in the western part of
Algeria, were visited only once. Chott
Merouane and Oued Khrouf, although
grouped as a single IBA site (Coulthard
2001) were judged sufficiently distinct to
warrant treating them separately. Similarly,
the Guerbes Senhadja wetland complex
encompasses a variety of habitats (Samraoui
& de Bélair 1997) that have been dealt with
separately in the present assessment.
Sites were considered to be of IBA
status if they met one of the following IBA
criteria as described in Fishpool & Evans
(2001), namely that the site regularly holds:
(1) species of global conservation concern
(A1 criterion), (2) a significant component
of restricted range species (A2 criterion), (3)
a significant component of a species whose
distribution is largely confined to one biome
(A3 criterion), or (4) significant numbers of
a congregatory bird species (A4 criterion).
Potential Ramsar sites were those that
matched one of the numerical criteria of the
Ramsar Convention, by supporting at least
20,000 waterbird species, or by regularly
supporting at least 1% of the individuals in
a biogeographic population of waterbird
species. There is a great deal of similarity
between IBA criteria (A1, A4i, A4ii, A4iii,
A4iv, B1i, B1ii, and B1iii) and Ramsar
criteria (2, 4, 5, and 6) and it is to be
expected that most wetland IBAs would
qualify as potential Ramsar sites. Global
threat status and population thresholds
follow BirdLife International (2001) and
Wetlands International (2006). With regards
to habitats, threats were classified as ‘High’
when current impact has considerably
degraded the ecological integrity of the site,

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as ‘Medium’ when anthropogenic impact
has brought marked changes to ecological
processes, and as ‘Low’ when only minor
impacts have been detected. Although
subjective, these categories aim to highlight
threats to important wetlands and the
urgency of their protection.
Results
A total of 100 wetlands were visited during
the surveys, at which 99 species were
recorded. Of these, 41 qualified as IBAs
because they complied with at least one of
the IBA criteria, including 19 already listed
as IBAs (Table 1). Most of the sites
qualifying as IBAs (78%) occurred within
just four districts: the Eastern Hauts
Plateaux (12 IBAs), Eastern Numidia (9
IBAs), the Oran complex (5 IBAs) and the
Sahara (Oued Righ and El Goléa; 6 IBAs).
The sites qualifying as IBAs are aligned
along three north–south transects (Fig. 2).
The eastern flyway consists of sites in
Numidia, the Eastern Hauts Plateaux and
the Oued Righ valley. The central flyway
encompases the Lac of Réghaïa (a Ramsar
site in the Algiers region), the Lac of
Boughzoul in the Central High Plateaux,
two other Ramsar sites (Zahrez Chergui et
Zahrez Gharbi), Oguila Dar Chioukh and
Lac of Goléa. Thirdly, the Oran complex,
Dayet El Ferd, Chott Chergui, Sebkha of
Naama and Aïn Ben Khelil constitute a
western flyway.The
connectivity of these three flyways are
crucial for desert migrants (herons, storks,
ibises, waders, ducks and passerines) that
cross the Algerian desert.
The most species-rich wetlands included
diversity and
Salines (72 species; three of them breeding),
Lac Fetzara (61 species), the Mekhada (49
species), Timerganine and Lac des Oiseaux
(each with 48 species) and Lac Tonga (46
species) (Table 1). Currently Algeria has 42
Ramsar sites and of these 33 are or were of
ornithological interest (Table 2) with 19
qualifying as IBAs. Because of insufficient
sampling or prolonged drought, some
species-rich sites did not meet IBA criteria
in the present study (Table 3). Several sites,
including the Lac Mellah IBA and Ramsar
site, have become degraded with a
concomitant decrease in bird diversity.
Similarly, of 99 species identified during
the surveys (Fig. 3), 36 were seen breeding,
including three species not known at the
start of the study to breed in Algeria:
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus,
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei and Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta. Other species that have
not been or have rarely been recorded
breeding since the 19th century were
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna, Glossy
Ibis Plegadis falcinellus and Red-knobbed Coot
Fulica cristata. Waterbirds were seen breeding
at 30 wetlands in northeast Algeria (i.e. not
including terrestrial sites used by Cattle
Egrets Ardea ibis and White Storks Ciconia
ciconia), where the main breeding areas were
Eastern Numidia (7 sites with at least 5
breeding species), Eastern Hauts Plateaux (4
sites) and Western Numidia (3) (Table 4).
The most important breeding sites, in terms
of species richness, were Lac Fetzara, Lake
Tonga, the Mekhada marsh, Boussedra and
Tinsilt (Table 4). While harbouring far fewer
breeding species, Ezzemoul and Guelif can
each support over 5,000 nests (Samraoui et
al. 2006; B. Samraoui unpubl. data).

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Table 1. Status of Algerian wetlands qualifying as Important Bird Areas (IBAs).
aSite codes for sites not listed as IBAs run on from the previous IBA site code.
bSite boundaries used here differ to those for the listed IBAs (e.g. the Chott Merouane and Oued Khrouf IBA is treated as two sites).
IBA site
Sites
Recorded
Threats
Current status
Global IBA criteria
codea
species
DZ001
Lac Oubeïra (EN)
37
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (O. leucocephala), A4iii
DZ002
Lac Tonga (EN)
46
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris, O.
leucocephala), A4i (A. ralloides), A4iii
DZ005
Lac des Oiseaux (EN)
48
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, O. leucocephala)
DZ006
Mekhada (EN)
49
High
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris), A4i
(A. ralloides), A4iii
DZ008
Fetzara (WN)
61
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris, O.
leucocephala), A4i (P. roseus, A. ralloides), A4iii
DZ009b
Hadj Tahar (WN)
34
Medium
Ramsar (Guerbes), IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, O. leucocephala)
DZ010
Bazer Sakra (EHP)
24
Low
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris)
DZ011
Chott Tinsilt (EHP)
32
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (A. nyroca, M.angustirostris)
DZ012
Ezzemoul (EHP)
15
High
IBA
A4i (P. roseus)
DZ013
Djendli (EHP)
13
Medium
IBA
A1 (M. angustirostris), A4i (P. roseus, T. tadorna)
DZ014
Garaet Tarf (EHP)
17
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A4i (P. roseus)
DZ015
Boughzoul (CHP)
32
Medium
IBA
A1 (T. ferruginea, M. angustirostris)
DZ016
Dayet El Ferd (WHP)
29
Low
Ramsar, IBA
A4i (T. ferruginea)
DZ017
La Macta (OC)
18
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (L. audouinii)
DZ018
Grande Sebkha d’Oran (OC)
8
High
Ramsar, IBA
A4i (P. roseus)
DZ019b
Oued Khrouf (S)
33
Low
Ramsar, IBA
A1 (M. angustirostris)
DZ019b
Chott Merouane (S)
3
Low
Ramsar, IBA
A4iii

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DZ030
Iles Habibas (OC)
6
High
IBA
A1 (L. audouinii), A3 (F. eleonorae)
DZ031
Ile Rachgoun (OC)
7
High
IBA
A3 (F. eleonorae)
DZ032
Salines (EN)
72
Medium
Not protected
A1 (O. leucocephala)
DZ033
Boussedra (EN)
35
High
Not protected
A1 (A. nyroca, O. leucocephala)
DZ034
Sidi Achour (EN)
18
High
Not protected
A1 (A. nyroca)
DZ035
Dakhla (EN)
13
High
Not protected
A4i (A. ralloides)
DZ036
Chatt (EN)
10
High
Not protected
A4i (A. ralloides)
DZ037
Ile Srighina (WN)
3
Medium
Not protected
A3 (F. eleonorae)
DZ038
Beni Belaïd (JC)
16
Low
Ramsar
A1 ( A. nyroca)
DZ039
Dayet Morcelly (OC)
20
High
Not protected
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris, O. leucocephala)
DZ040
Timerganine (EHP)
48
Medium
Not protected
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris, O. leucocephala),
A4i (T. ferruginea)
DZ041
Tazougart II (EHP)
32
Low
Not protected
A1 (A. nyroca, M. angustirostris)
DZ042
Chott Hodna (EHP)
24
High
Ramsar
A1 (T. ferruginea, M. angustirostris)
DZ043
Boulehilet (EHP)
23
High
Not protected
A1 (M. angustirostris, O. leucocephala)
DZ044
Guelif (EHP)
22
High
Ramsar
A4i (T. tadorna, A. recurvirostra, H.
himantopus, L. genei, S. nilotica)
DZ045
Tazougart I (EHP)
12
Low
Not protected
A1 (O. leucocephala)
DZ046
Ank Djmel (EHP)
5
Medium
Ramsar
A4i (P. roseus)
DZ047
Oguila Dar Chioukh (CHP)
9
Unknown
Not protected
A4i (T. ferruginea)
DZ048
Boughrara’s reservoir (WHP) 13
Medium
Not protected
A1 (O. leucocephala)
DZ049
Sebkha of Naama (WHP)
3
Medium
Ramsar
A4i (T. ferruginea)
DZ050
Merja Hamraïa I (S)
28
Medium
Not protected
A1 (A. nyroca, M.angustirostris)
DZ051
Sidi Amrane (S)
19
Medium
Not protected
A1 (M. angustirostris)
DZ052
Merja Hamraïa II (S)
15
Low
Not protected
A1 (M. angustirostris), A4i (T. ferruginea)
DZ053
Lac d’El Goléa (S)
12
Medium
Ramsar
A1 (A. nyroca), A4i (T. ferruginea)

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Figure 2. The location of sites in Algeria qualifying as Ramsars sites (empty circles), IBAs (filled
squares) and sites fulfilling the criteria for both designations (filled circles). Site codes relate to the codes
given in Table 1 and Table 2.
Algeria
Algiers
1-3,5,6
53
R40,R42
51
R41
250km
4,7
R22
32-36
8
9
37
R21
11, 14, 44, 46
41, 45
19
50, 52
R20
38
12, 13, 40, 43
R04
15
R1647
16
48
49
10
42
R15
R27, R29
R30, R31
31
30
39
17, 18
R36, R37
R35
Daïet Tiour

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Table 2. Ramsar sites of ornithological importance in Algeria.
Ramsar
site code
Site nameYear designated
as a Ramsar site
IBA status, or reasons why the
site not included as an IBA
R01
R02
R03
R04
R05
R06
R09
Lac Tonga (EN)
Lac Oubeïra (EN)
Lac des Oiseaux (EN)
Chott Chergui (WHP)
Guerbes (WN)
Chott Hodna (EHP)
Chott Merouane et Oued
Khrouf (S)
Macta (OC)
Grande Sebkha d’Oran (OC)
Zehrez Chergui (CHP)
Zehrez Gharbi (CHP)
Mekhada (EN)
Chott Melghir (S)
Lac de Réghaïa (AR)
Lac Noir (EN)
Lac de Béni Bélaïd (JC)
Fetzara (WN)
Sebkhet Hamiet (EHP)
Bazer Sakra (EHP)
Beïda Bordj (EHP)
Ank Djmel et Maghssel (EHP)
Guelif (EHP)
Chott Tinsilt (EHP)
Garaet Tarf (EHP)
Dayet El Ferd (WHP)
Aïn Ben Khelil (WHP)
Salines d’Arzew (OC)
Lac de Telamine (OC)
Lac Mellah (EN)
1982
1982
1999
2001
2001
2001
2001
IBA
IBA
IBA
Insufficient sampling
IBA (Hadj Tahar)
Meets IBA criteria
Two IBAs
R10
R12
R15
R16
R19
R20
R21
R22
R24
R26
R27
R28
R29
R30
R31
R32
R33
R34
R35
R36
R37
R38
2001
2001
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
IBA
IBA
Drought
Insufficient sampling
IBA
Drought
Insufficient sampling
Degraded (de Bélair & Samraoui, 1994)
Meets IBA criteria
IBA
Insufficient sampling
IBA
Insufficient sampling
Meets IBA criteria
Meets IBA criteria
IBA
IBA
IBA
Drought
Insufficient sampling
Insufficient sampling
Degraded due to hydrological
changes
Meets IBA criteria
Insufficient sampling
R39
R40
Lac d’El Goléa (S)
Sidi Khouiled (Chott Oum
Raneb) (S)
Chott Sidi Slimane (S)
Chott Aïn El Beïda (S)
2004
2004
R41
R42
2004
2004
Drought
Drought/degraded

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Figure 3. Species observed in the coastal region (continuous line) and the Hauts Plateaux (dotted line)
during the surveys.

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Table 3. Species-rich sites which did not qualify as an IBA based on data recorded during the present survey.
Sites
Recorded
Threats
Current status
Reasons not meeting
species
Ramsar/IBA criteria
Boukhmira (EN)
38
Low
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Garaet M’Hamed (WN)
26
Low
Ramsar (Guerbes), IBA
Aerial sampling needed
Oum El Ghelez (OC)
22
Medium
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Lac Mellah (EN)
18
Medium
Ramsar, IBA
Degraded
Mafragh estuary (EN)
18
High
Not protected
Degraded
Lac de Reghaïa (AR)
16
Medium
Ramsar
Insufficient sampling
Jemott (EHP)
16
Low
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Sidi Makhlouf (WN)
16
Medium
Ramsar (Guerbes), IBA
Insufficient sampling
Chichaya (WN)
15
Medium
Ramsar (Guerbes), IBA
Insufficient sampling
Guelb (WN)
15
Medium
Ramsar (Guerbes), IBA
Insufficient sampling
Sidi Chahmi (OC)
13
High
Not protected
Degraded
Sidi Salem beach (EN)
12
High
Not protected
Degraded
Chekaka (WN)
12
Unknown
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Boucif (EHP)
12
Medium
Not protected
Drought
Tindla (S)
12
Low
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Aïn Makhlouf reservoir (G)
11
Low
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Bekouche Lakhdar (G)
11
Low
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Mengoub (OC)
11
Unknown
Not protected
Insufficient sampling
Chott Chergui (WHP)
11
Unknown
Ramsar
Insufficient sampling
Oued Seybouse II (G)
10
Medium
Not protected
Insufficient sampling

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Ornithological survey of Algerian wetlands 83
©Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
Wildfowl (2008) 58: 71–96
The timing of the occurrence of each
species in Algeria (with the exception of the
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, noted only
in the Sahara) is shown in Fig. 3. Over the
last decade, individuals of a number of
species (White Stork, Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides, Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax and Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybridus) have been recorded over-
wintering in coastal wetlands. Small groups
of other species (Great Egret Ardea alba and
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia) have
begun to spend the summer in the same
coastal wetlands or in the Hauts Plateaux
(Glossy Ibis and Black-headed Gull Larus
ridibundus).
The species of greatest conservation
concern found breeding in Algeria were
Marbled Teal,White-headed
Audouin’s Gull, and Eleonora’s Falcon
(Table 5). All known breeding sites of
Audouin’s Gull (the offshore rocky islands
of Ile Rachgoun, Iles Habibas and Kef
Amor) have been degraded through
pollution, human disturbance, and the
presence of rats and other predators. In all
ofthese islands, an increase in the
commensal Yellow-legged Gull Larus
michahellis has corresponded with a decline in
Audouin’s Gull numbers (Isenmann &
Moali 2000). Both Little Crake Porzana parva
and Eurasian Spoonbill bred over a century
ago at Lake Fetzara but we were unable to
confirm their breeding during the study
period (Table 5). The Great Bittern Botaurus
stellaris is thought to have bred at Mekhada
marsh in 2005 and at Lake Fetzara in 2006,
on the basis of a number of singing males.
This bird is now thought to be a rare
resident breeder in Tunisia (Isenmann et al.
Duck,
2005), and possibly no longer breeds in
Morocco (Thévenot et al. 2003).
Ducks were among the most dispersed
of the wetland birds (Table 6). Lake Fetzara
and numerous salt lakes across the Hauts
Plateaux (Timerganine, Chott Tinsilt, Chott
Hodna and Bazer Sakra) and the Sahara
(Chott Merouane, Oued Khrouf and El
Goléa) held large flocks of several thousand
migrant ducks such as Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata, Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
and Northern Pintail Anas acuta (B.
Samraoui unpubl. data). Although breeding
was widely recorded for Ferruginous
Duck (9/35 sites) and Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus (9/47 sites) (Table 6),
only a few sites (Tonga and Fetzara for the
former, in favourable years; Guelif and
Tazougart II for the latter) hold hundreds of
nests. Partly due to persecution (both
species being highly prized by hunters and
poachers), Greylag Geese Anser anser and
Common Crane Grus grus were found in
large numbers (several thousand birds) at
only a few sites in the coastal region
(Mekhada and Lake Fetzara) and in the
Hauts Plateaux (Marshel and Dayet El
Ferd), respectively.
Discussion
The present study is the first to present
comprehensive survey data on breeding and
wintering habitats of Algerian wetland birds
since the seminal work of Heim de Balsac &
Mayaud (1962). It also supports and extends
the previous work of Coulthard (2001),
which provided the first assessment of
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Algeria, and
updates data provided by Coulthard (2001)

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84 Ornithological survey of Algerian wetlands
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Wildfowl (2008) 58: 71–96
Table 4. Noteworthy breeding sites in northeast Algeria.
Sites
No. years
No. of
Species recorded breeding (no. of years breeding)
visited
breeding
during the
species
surveys
Fetzara (WN)
3
23
Podiceps ruficollis (3), P. cristatus (3), Ixobrychus minutus (3), Nycticorax nycticorax (2), Ardeola ralloides
(3), Ardea ibis (3), Egretta garzetta (3), Ardea cinerea (1), Ardea purpurea (3), Ciconia ciconia (3),
Plegadis falcinellus (3), Anas platyrhynchos (3),Marmoronetta angustirostris (2), Aythya nyroca (3), Oxyura
leucocephala (3), Rallus aquaticus (1), Gallinula chloropus (1), Porphyrio porphyrio (3), Fulica atra (3),
Glareola pratincola (3), Himantopus himantopus (2), Recurvirostra avosetta (1), Sterna nilotica (2)
Lac Tonga (EN)
7
17
Podiceps ruficollis (7), P. cristatus (7), Ixobrychus minutus (7), Nycticorax nycticorax (7), Ardeola
ralloides (7), Ardea ibis (7), Egretta garzetta (7), Ardea purpurea (7), Plegadis falcinellus (6), Anas
platyrhynchos (7), Aythya nyroca (7), Oxyura leucocephala (7), Circus aeruginosus (1), Gallinula
chloropus (7), Porphyrio porphyrio (7), Fulica atra (7), Chlidonias hybridus (7)
Mekhada (EN)
3
13
Podiceps ruficollis (3) , P. cristatus (3), Nycticorax nycticorax (3), Ardeola ralloides (3), Ardea ibis (3),
Egretta garzetta (3), Ardea purpurea (1), Ciconia ciconia (3), Anas platyrhynchos (1), Aythya nyroca
(1), Circus aeruginosus (1), Porphyrio porphyrio (1), Fulica atra (3)
Boussedra (EN)
3
12
Podiceps ruficollis (3), P. cristatus (3), Ixobrychus minutus (3), Ardeola ralloides (1), Ardea ibis (1),
Anas platyrhynchos (3), Aythya nyroca (2), Oxyura leucocephala (2), Circus aeruginosus (1), Gallinula
chloropus (3), Porphyrio porphyrio (3), Fulica atra (3)
Tinsilt (EHP)
2
11
Podiceps nigricollis (1), Tadorna ferruginea (1), T. tadorna (2), Anas platyrhynchos (1), Aythya nyroca (1),
Fulica atra (2), Himantopus himantopus (1), Recurvirostra avosetta (1), Charadrius alexandrinus (2),
Larus genei (1), Sterna nilotica (1)

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Wildfowl (2008) 58: 71–96
Lac des Oiseaux (EN)
2
9
Podiceps ruficollis (2), P. cristatus (2), Ixobrychus minutus (2), Ardea purpurea (2), Ciconia ciconia (2),
Aythya nyroca (1), Gallinula chloropus (2), Porphyrio porphyrio (1), Fulica atra (2)
Dakhla (EN)
3
9
Nycticorax nycticorax (2), Ardeola ralloides (2), Ardea ibis (2), Egretta garzetta (2), Ardea cinerea (2),
Ardea purpurea (2), Plegadis falcinellus (1), Circus aeruginosus (2), Porphyrio porphyrio (1)
Chatt (EN)
3
7
Ardeola ralloides (3), Ardea ibis (3), Egretta garzetta (3), Ardea purpurea (3), Ciconia ciconia (3),
Plegadis falcinellus (2), Anas platyrhynchos (1)
Ile Rachgoun (OC)
1
6
Calonectris diomedea (1), Ardea ibis (1), Egretta garzetta (1), Pandion haliaetus (1), Falco eleonorae (1),
Larus michahellis (1)
Timerganine (EHP)
2
6
Podiceps ruficollis (2), P. cristatus (2), Ixobrychus minutus (1), Ardeola ralloides (1), Anas platyrhynchos
(1), Fulica atra (2)
Sidi Achour (EN)
1
6
Podiceps ruficollis (1), Ixobrychus minutus (1), Ardea ibis (1), Anas platyrhynchos (1), Porphyrio
porphyrio (1), Fulica atra (1)
Guelif (EHP)
2
6
Tadorna tadorna (2), Himantopus himantopus (2), Recurvirostra avosetta (2), Charadrius alexandrinus
(2), Larus genei (2), Sterna nilotica (2)
Tazougart II (EHP)
1
6
Tadorna tadorna (1), Himantopus himantopus (1), Recurvirostra avosetta (1), Charadrius alexandrinus
(1), Anas platyrhynchos (1), Fulica atra (1)
Iles Habibas (OC)
1
5
Calonectris diomedea (1), Phalacrocorax aristotelis (1), Falco eleonorae (1), Larus audouinii (1), Larus
michahellis (1)
Hadj Tahar (WN)
2
5
Podiceps ruficollis (2), Ixobrychus minutus (1), Ardea purpurea (1), Porphyrio porphyrio (2), Fulica atra (2)
Sidi Makhlouf (WN)
2
5
Podiceps ruficollis (2), Aythya nyroca (1), Gallinula chloropus (2), Porphyrio porphyrio (2), Fulica atra (2)