THREATENED WETLANDS AND WATERBIRDS IN MOROCCO: A

Transcription

THREATENED WETLANDS AND WATERBIRDS
IN MOROCCO: A FINAL REPORT
Compiled by Andy J. Green
Dept. of Applied Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. María Luisa s/n, Pabellón del Perú, 41013
Sevilla, Spain. Tel. +95 4232340. Fax +95 4621125. Email <[email protected]>
With special contributions from Mustapha El Hamzaoui, Gustavo Ballesteros,
Juan Carlos Blanco and Hector Garrido
4 June 2000
CONTENTS
1
SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................... 3
RÉSUMÉ ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................... 5
2. METHODS ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
3. RESULTS OF WATERBIRD CENSUSES ............................................................................................... 6
4. DETAILS OF MOROCCAN WETLANDS VISITED ............................................................................. 7
5. IDENTIFYING WETLANDS IMPORTANT FOR THREATENED SPECIES ................................. 15
6. VALUE OF KEY SITES FOR OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES ............................................................. 20
7. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF MARBLED TEAL ............................................................................. 21
8. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF CRESTED COOT ................................................................................ 22
9. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF FERRUGINOUS DUCK ...................................................................... 23
10. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF RUDDY SHELDUCK ........................................................................ 24
11. STATUS AND MOVEMENTS OF GLOSSY IBIS ............................................................................. 25
12. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF WHITE-HEADED DUCK .................................................................. 25
13. PROPOSED CONSERVATION MEASURES .................................................................................... 26
14. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................................... 30
15. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................... 31
TABLES ................................................................................................................................................... 35
FIGURE 1. ............................................................................................................................................... 60
CONTENTS
2
LIST OF TABLES
1 Status and total counts of waterbirds in Morocco ........................................................................... 35
2 Details of wetlands visited during this study ...................................................................................... 38
3 Counts of waterbirds, February-March 1995 ................................................................................... 39
4 Counts of waterbirds, October 1997, part I ...................................................................................... 41
5 Counts of waterbirds, October 1997, part II...................................................................................... 43
6 Breeding data for waterbirds, October 1997...................................................................................... 45
7 Counts of waterbirds, May 1999, part I ............................................................................................. 46
8 Counts of waterbirds, May 1999, part II ............................................................................................ 48
9 Counts of waterbirds, May 1999, part III ......................................................................................... 50
10 Breeding data for waterbirds, May 1999, part I ............................................................................. 52
11 Breeding data for waterbirds, May-June 1999, parts II and III .................................................... 53
12 Threatened waterbird counts made by other observers ................................................................ 54
13 Sources of information for Table 12 ................................................................................................ 58
14 Key Sites for threatened waterbirds in Morocco ............................................................................ 59
LIST OF FIGURES
1 Conductivity and number of plant species ....................................................................................... 60
SUMMARY
3
SUMMARY
This study focuses on the status in Morocco of six waterbird species that are threatened
globally or in the west Mediterranean region: the Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris,
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala, Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferruginea, Crested Coot Fulica cristata and Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus.
Although considerable information about the wintering distribution of these species in
Morocco is already available, we present the results of wetland surveys carried out at other
periods of the year, particularly in May and October. The numbers of waterbirds present and
breeding in 45 wetlands are presented in detail.
Based on our own data, a literature search, and data from the International Waterbird Census,
we identify 46 Moroccan wetlands that have held over 1% of a threatened waterbird
population in the 1990s and can be considered to be internationally important. Of these, we
identify 14 “Key Sites” (Table 14) vital to the conservation of threatened waterbirds at a
national and international level. Each of these sites regularly supports over 1% of the
population of at least two threatened waterbird species, and sometimes supports over 10% of
the populations. These Key Sites include four coastal wetlands, four Middle Atlas lakes, three
large reservoirs and three other interior wetlands. Eight of these wetlands are unprotected, and
at least six are in great danger of losing their value within a decade if specific conservation
action is not taken. As well as for waterbirds, these 14 Key Sites are of great value for other
aquatic life. This is particularly true of the most important sites for Crested Coot, an indicator
of freshwater hotspots of aquatic biodiversity. All 14 sites should be considered Sites d’Intérêt
Biologique et Ecologique (SIBEs) of priority one. In particular, the current listing of Dayet
Aoua as priority three is not appropriate.
We also identify all the Moroccan wetlands known to be breeding sites for threatened
waterbirds. Based on all the data, we estimate the total wintering populations of Crested Coot
and Marbled Teal in the Western Mediterranean to be about 5,000 birds for each species. We
suggest that the current estimate of 2,500 for the Ruddy Shelduck population is likely to be an
underestimate. Of these three species, the Crested Coot is the one that appears to be declining
fastest, owing to its dependence on fragile, natural, freshwater wetlands and its inability to
exploit reservoirs and other alternative habitats. We suggest that the current absence of Whiteheaded Duck is probably due to a lack of suitable habitat for this species in Morocco. Only
small numbers of Ferruginous Ducks and Glossy Ibis are breeding in Morocco, although
recent observations of ringed ibis reveal regular movements between breeding sites in Doñana
and Oued Massa. Conservation programmes for threatened waterbirds in Morocco should
focus on the 14 Key Sites, and we make suggestions for measures that could be taken.
RESUME
4
RESUME
Cette étude se concentre sur le statut au Maroc de six espèces d’oiseaux d’eau menacées,
globalement ou à l’échelle de la Méditerranée occidentale : la Sarcelle marbrée
(Marmaronetta angustirostris), le Fuligule nyroca (Aythya nyroca), l’Erimasture à tête
blanche (Oxyura leucocephala), le Tadorne casarca (Tadorna ferruginea), la Fouque à crête
(Fulica cristata) et l’Ibis falcinelle (Plegadis facinellus). Bien que beaucoup d’informations
sur la distribution de ces espèces en hiver au Maroc soient déjà disponibles, nous
présentons des résultats portant sur d’autres périodes de l’année, particulièrement mai et
octobre. Les effectifs d’oiseaux d’eau présents et nicheurs de 45 zones humides sont
présentés en détail.
En se basant sur nos propres données, sur la littérature et sur des Dénombrements
Internationaux d’Oiseaux d’Eau, nous avons identifié 46 zones humides marocaines qui
abritent ou ont abrité 1% d’une population d’oiseaux d’eau menacés au cours des années
90, et qui peuvent donc être considérées comme étant d’importance internationale. A partir
de celles-ci, nous avons identifié 14 “sites-clés” (Tableau 14) vitaux pour la conservation
des oiseaux d’eau menacés au niveau national et international. Chacun de ces sites accueille
régulièrement 1% des effectifs d’au moins deux espèces d’oiseaux d’eau menacées, et
quelques-uns jusqu’à 10%. Ces sites-clés incluent quatre zones humides côtières, quatre
lacs du Moyen-Atlas, trois grands barrages et trois autres zones humides intérieures. Huit
de ces zones humides ne sont pas protégées et au moins six sont en grand danger de perdre
leur valeur biologique au cours de la prochaine décennie si aucune action de conservation
spécifique n’est entreprise. En plus de leur importance pour les oiseaux d’eau, ces 14 sitesclés sont d’un grand intérêt pour d’autres espèces aquatiques. Ceci est particulièrement vrai
pour les sites les plus importants pour la Foulque à crête, espèce indicatrice d’une
importante biodiversité liée aux eaux douces. L’ensemble de ces 14 sites peuvent être
considérés comme des Sites d’Intérêt Biologique et Ecologique (SIBE) de première
importance. En particulier, le classement en priorité nº 3 de la Dayet Aoua n’est pas
approprié.
Nous avons aussi recensé toutes les zones humides marocaines connues comme sites de
reproduction d’espèces d’oiseaux d’eau menacées. En se basant sur toutes les données,
nous avons estimé les populations hivernales de la Foulque à crête et de la Sarcelle marbrée
en Méditerranée occidentale à environ 5 000 oiseaux pour chaque espèce. Nous pensons
que l’estimation fréquemment citée de 2 500 pour l’effectif du Tadorne casarca est
probablement sous-estimée. Sur ces trois espèces, la Foulque à crête apparait comme celle
qui décline le plus vite, à cause de sa dépendance envers les zones humides naturelles d’eau
douce, milieux très fragiles, et de son incapacité à exploiter les barrages et autres habitats
alternatifs. Nous considérons que l’absence de l’Erimasture à tête blanche est probablement
due au manque d’habitats appropriés pour cette espèce au Maroc. Seul un petit nombre de
Fuligules nyrocas et d’Ibis falcinelles se reproduisent au Maroc, quoique de récentes
observations d’Ibis bagués ont révélé des mouvements réguliers entre les sites de
reproduction de Doñana et de l’Oued Massa. Les programmes de conservation pour les
oiseaux d’eau au Maroc devraient se focaliser sur les 14 sites-clés identifiés, et nous
suggérons quelques mesures à prendre.
Green 2000. Threatened wetlands and waterbirds in Morocco
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1. INTRODUCTION
The principal aim of this project was to study the status and conservation problems of
threatened waterbird species shared between Andalusia (Spain) and Morocco, whose future
conservation in the region is dependent on co-operation between these two countries. The
project was carried out by the Estación Biológica de Doñana (based in Sevilla) in
collaboration with the Centre National de la Recherche Forestiere (based in Rabat). A series of
surveys have been conducted in Moroccan wetlands, to complement existing and more
complete census data on these species in Andalusia. The results of our surveys have been used
as a basis for conservation proposals for these species and their habitats.
The study focused on six threatened waterbird species, including four species of ducks
(Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris, Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, White-headed
Duck Oxyura leucocephala, Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea) and the Crested Coot
Fulica cristata (Table 1). The first three species are globally threatened (Table 1 and Collar et
al. 1994), whereas Ruddy Shelduck and Crested Coot both have small, isolated, declining
populations of less than 10,000 individuals in the West Mediterranean (Table 1 and Rose &
Scott 1997). These populations can be considered to be threatened with extinction according to
the latest IUCN criteria (IUCN 1994), and are thus high priorities for conservation at a
regional level. Both populations qualify as Vulnerable under criterion C2b. All five species are
considered Endangered in Spain using old-style Red List criteria (Table 1 and Blanco &
Gonzalez 1992). In addition, in this project we have focussed on the Glossy Ibis Plegadis
falcinellus considered as Endangered at the Spanish level (Table 1). However, the birds in
Spain and Morocco are considered to be part of an extensive biogeographical population
across the Black Sea, Mediterranean and West Africa, estimated at 25,000-40,000 birds (Rose
& Scott 1997). Thus the Glossy Ibis does not qualify for IUCN categories of threat at the
population level.
Large amounts of waterbird count data are already available from Morocco for midwinter
(especially for January) from the International Waterbird Census, and our surveys aimed to
identify the sites important for these key species at other times of the year. These six key
species made a logical group on which to focus our surveys, as they require similar census
techniques. Another waterbird of great importance in the region is the Critically Endangered
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris (Table 1) which was recorded annually at Merja
Zerga until 1996. However, our project has little relevance to this species because it is only
present in this region in winter, and because it utilises different habitats to those censused for
the other species.
In addition, we aimed to carry out complete censuses of all waterbirds in the Moroccan
wetlands covered, and many of the other species are of conservation importance in the western
Mediterranean region, as indicated by their conservation status at Spanish and European levels
(Table 1). There are no national Red Data Books or other similar reviews listing the
conservation status of waterbirds in Morocco or other parts of the Maghreb which we can use
to identify a priori the conservation priorities from a Moroccan perspective. Outside the
winter period, many of the Moroccan wetlands we have visited have rarely been surveyed in
such a detailed fashion, and our censuses help to assess their importance for all waterbird
species.
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2. METHODS
An initial visit was made to Morocco from 10/2/95 to 13/3/95, concentrating on key coastal
wetlands important to the Marbled Teal and making a detailed study of the ecology of this
species at these sites. The second visit was made from 2/10/97 to 29/10/97, visiting and
surveying c.30 wetlands widely distributed around the country to assess their importance
for threatened waterbirds in autumn. The third visit was made from 7/5/99 to 1/6/99,
surveying c.40 wetlands to assess their importance for threatened waterbirds during spring
(the main breeding season).
During each visit to a wetland, land use, threats, habitat types and other details were
recorded using a modified version of the datasheet used by Morgan & Boy (1982).
Waterbirds were counted carefully on all accessible parts of the wetland, using a telescope
with up to 60x magnification. Great care was paid to the identification of coots (see García
et al. 1990; Forsman 1991; Keijl et al. 1993 for details of field identification of Fulica atra
and F. cristata), identifying as many individuals as possible in each flock to species and
applying the observed ratios to unidentified members of the flocks to estimate total
numbers of each species. The wetland margins were carefully prospected to assess the
number of species of aquatic macrophytes and charophytes present. The numbers of species
identified represent minimum numbers, since we were unable to prospect the centre of the
wetlands, and did not always distinguish between closely related species. Conductivity and
pH were measured with meters and turbidity with a secchi disk.
All but two of those Moroccan wetlands studied and described in detail by Morgan (1982)
that still exist were visited in October 1997 and May-June 1999. The exceptions were
Merja Douyiet and Aguelmam Azigza. Particular attention was paid to the changes
recorded in these wetlands and their value for waterbirds since their description by Morgan.
In addition, Mustapha El Hamzaoui of the Centre National de la Recherche Forestière,
Rabat has kindly collaborated in the project and co-ordinated additional surveys of
wetlands important for Marbled Teal at different times of the year. We have also
corresponded with a large number of birdwatchers that have also visited Morocco and
provided us with additional counts of the threatened waterbird species. These data, together
with our own counts are presented in full in this report. Furthermore we have taken into
account the additional data compiled by GOMAC in their journal Porphyrio, and been able
to consult the midwinter counts collected during the International Waterbird Census (IWC)
co-ordinated by Wetlands International. Together, all these data have allowed us to make
the most thorough assessment of the importance of Moroccan wetlands for threatened
waterbirds carried out to date.
3. RESULTS OF WATERBIRD CENSUSES
The status of each waterbird species recorded during our surveys and the totals (excluding
chicks) counted by species in 1997 and 1999 are presented in Table 1. Details of each
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wetland visited are presented in Table 2, and further information on the nature of each site
is given below. Our detailed waterbird counts from 1995, 1997 and 1999 are presented for
each wetland and each visit in Tables 3-11, listing data for each species. Breeding data are
presented in Tables 6 (1997) and 10-11 (1999). Note, chicks are not included in the totals
presented in the other tables, and all counts presented refer to minimum figures (e.g. an
estimate of 250-300 Marbled Teal at SMO1 on 10.5.99 is recorded as 250).
Details of positive counts of threatened waterbird species carried out by others since 1990
are presented in Table 12, with the sources of information in Table 13. These data do not
include those available in Porphyrio, IWC data or those counts of Marbled Teal already
listed in Green (1993).
Our emphasis on surveying the six threatened waterbird species and time constraints means
that, in some cases, wetland areas of no interest to Anatidae or coots were not covered. For
this reason, the numbers of some bird groups (particularly waders and gulls) were severely
underestimated at some wetlands (e.g. Sidi Moussa-Oualidia).
4. DETAILS OF MOROCCAN WETLANDS VISITED
ABA :- Aguelmane Abekhane
Mountain lake visible from the P33 due west of Midelt to the south side of the road, and
next to the village of Timdghasse. This may be the northernmost of two lakes marked with
the name Aguel-Baghane on the Mundi Mapa. We assume this is the same as Aguelmane
Aberchane described by Franchimont et al. 1994, but this requires confirmation.
AFE :- Aguelmame Afenourir.
Formerly considered as having a surface area of 380 ha, this is now greatly reduced
(Franchimont et al. 1994, and Table 2). This spectacular site is protected as Reserve and a
Ramsar site, but there is currently no warden and the wetland and its birds are highly
threatened by intense grazing pressure and human disturbance (E. Reyes in lit. 1999). Most
of the watershed has been deforested. Eggs are regularly collected from nests of Crested
Coot and other birds (J. Franchimont pers. comm. 1997). Current stocking with pike Esox
lucius by the Centre Nationale d'Hydrobiologie et Pisciculture presents a threat to breeding
birds (E. Reyes in lit. 1999).
BAM :- Barrage Al Massira.
An important and little-studied site with considerable access problems. We surveyed almost
all of the northern shore with difficulty, relying on rough tracks and driving across country.
Water levels were much higher in 1997 than during visits in February 1995 and October
1999, leading to marked changes in the number of shallow bays and of production of
submerged vegetation. It is possible that important numbers of Marbled Teal or other
important species were overlooked in that part of the reservoir that was not surveyed.
8
BLO :- Marais Bas Loukkos.
The remnant marsh of c.200 ha is much as was described by Morgan, despite the
completion of the dam upstream. It remains of great importance for breeding waterbirds
(e.g. Crested Coot and Purple Gallinule), but is highly threatened. The new Tangier-Rabat
motorway constructed in 1999 passes within a kilometre of the marsh. There is intense
hunting of waterbirds by tourist hunters in winter, but the hunting interests have played an
essential role in preventing the drainage of the site by the regional agricultural body
ORMVAL (SECA-BCEOM.1992). The need to protect this site was emphasised by El
Agbani et al. (1996).
BOU :- Barrage El Mansour Eddahbi at Ouarzazate.
The northern shore was surveyed using a network of tracks and the old road, but flocks of
waterbirds (ducks or coot) on the southern side seen in 1997 could not be identified. Most
Marbled Teal and Ruddy Shelduck are recorded in the shallow bay adjacent to Ouarzazate
town (pers. obs. and C. Kightley pers. comm.).
BTA :- Barrage de Taghdout.
The location of this small reservoir west of the P32 near Tazenakht is correctly shown on
the Mundi-Mapa. There are also tiny dams at nearby Tamellakout and Tin-Zaline (we
visited the one at Tamellakout), but these are too small to be of interest for waterbirds.
BYB :- Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine
Held very few birds in 1999, yet very important for Marbled Teal on some previous
occasions (Table 12). Probably strongly influenced by major fluctuations in water level and
depth profile between years.
CBA: - Pond between MBA and MHL
A small site apparently created by irrigation water draining from the surrounding market
gardens (mainly strawberries).
DAF :- Dayèt Afourgah.
This lake was still in good condition in 1984 (Flower et al. 1989, R.J. Flower in litt. 1999),
yet by 1987 all the reedbeds had been removed by cutting and grazing, many waterbird
species had disappeared and numbers of wintering waterbirds had crashed (Franchimont et
al. 1994). It is now greatly reduced in area, highly turbid, totally devoid of submerged
vegetation and with very few waterbirds (only 31 cattle egrets and 4 other birds on
9.10.97). Half of the shoreline is now surrounded by arable land. Considered by Morgan
(1982) as “fresh” and had a conductivity of 0.75 mS in 1984 (Flower et al. 1989), yet we
recorded a conductivity of 1.6 mS, equivalent to oligosaline (Cowardin, et al. 1979; Farinha
et al. 1996). In 1997 this lake had an exceedingly low water level, and only c.30% of the
basin was flooded.
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DAO :- Dayèt Aaoua.
This remains a relatively well-conserved and diverse lake of great conservation importance.
The vegetation community remains rich, although there is no fringe of Phragmites and
Scirpus lacustris along the south-west shore as described by Morgan, probably due to
overgrazing and reed-cutting (Franchimont et al. 1994). However, these and other emergent
plants are found at the eastern end. Esox lucius have been introduced (and probably other
fish species). Pumping of subterranean water from the underlying aquifer leads to low
water levels in years of dry rainfall (Dakki & Hamzaoui, 1997). “Pedalo” boats are no
longer in use, although local tourism (picnickers from Fez and Meknes) has intensified
(Franchimont et al. 1994). The development of intensive chicken farms in the catchment
may lead to significant pollution. Enormously important for Crested Coot, and 1,200
Marbled Teal were recorded in April 1999. Morgan underestimated the area of this lake,
which is at least 50ha.
DHA :- Dayèt Hachlaf.
This important wetland, permanent in Morgan’s time, is on the verge of disappearing
altogether. Much reduced in area (to c.20 ha) by 9.10.97, it was still an important site at this
time with a high diversity of submerged plants (see Fig.1: note that Morgan reports this site
to have no submerged plants), and 188 Crested Coot. However, it was already dry by
March in 1999. The likely causes of the loss of this wetland include sedimentation and the
lowering of the water table by the drilling of numerous wells in the area.
DIF :- Dayèt Ifrah.
Highly degraded since Morgan’s time. Rapid sedimentation from the surrounding steep
slopes now denuded of trees is the probable cause of a reduction in the lake area and of
high turbidity. As a result, submerged vegetation has been eliminated except for tiny
patches of Ranunculus. Numbers of wintering waterbirds have decreased steadily since
1983 (Franchimont et al. 1994). This site has lost its former importance for Marbled Teal
(Green 1993). At the time of both our visits, this lake had an exceedingly low water level,
and only c.20% of the basin was flooded.
EMA/OMA :- Embouchure de l'Oued Massa.
The value of the mouth (EMA) for waterbirds is strongly influenced by the movement of
sands at the mouth itself. In 1999, a sandbar was blocking the connection of the lagoon
with the sea, lowering salinity and allowing the development of extensive beds of
submerged vegetation and increasing the food supply for many bird species. In March
1995, the connection to the sea was open, and conductivity was 26 mS even at 5km from
the mouth. This explains the increase in numbers of coot and other species between 1995
(Table 3) to 1999 (Table 8). Upstream, in the winding, narrow slow-flowing reaches of the
Oued Massa (OMA), there has been a great increase in the amount of pumping of water
from the oued for farming in adjacent fields between 1995 and 1999, based on the
10
installation of dozens of diesel-operated pumps. This and the high levels of human
disturbance must inhibit successful breeding at this site by Marbled Teal and Glossy Ibis.
IDR :- Barrage Idriss Premier.
Only the eastern end of the reservoir was surveyed, from the P1 road.
IMO :- Immouzzer.
Small stream and pools along the P24 just to the south of Immouzzer du-Kander
ISE :- Lac Iseli.
No obvious changes since Morgan’s (1982) description. Considered by Morgan (1982) as
“fresh”, yet we recorded a conductivity of 2.5 mS, equivalent to oligosaline. Now included
within the Western High Atlas National Park.
KAR :- Salines at Kariet Arkmane at the eastern end of Sebkha Bou Areg.
These abandoned salinas still exist and include areas less saline than those described by
Morgan (with spot conductivities down to 23 mS on 2.10.97) with stands of Phragmites
and Ruppia. The salinas have been used to dump considerable amounts of refuse.
MAM :- Sidi Mamoun.
A small upland dam created as a trout farm.
MBA :- Merja Barga.
Described in detail by Castro & Recio (1997). Receives drainage water from irrigated
market gardens (mainly strawberries) surrounding the lake. This has caused a marked
decrease in water quality (including high levels of phosphates) and increase in water level
in recent years (M. Maghnouj pers. comm. 1999). Shooting is permitted at this site. The
plant identified as Nuphar luteum by Castro & Recio (1997) is in fact the exotic Asian
Nelumbo (probably Nelumbo nucifera, P. García pers. comm. 1999), potentially an invasive
weed.
MHA :- Barrage Mechra Homadi.
Being located downstream of the larger Barrage Mohamed V, this reservoir has unusually
stable water levels. This has allowed the development of a richer plant community than that
found in any other barrage visited (Fig. 1). There is a much smaller dam at higher altitude
at the southwestern end of the main reservoir, which is used to dump sediments dredged
from the main reservoir. In 1997, the Marbled Teal and Ruddy Shelduck were recorded at
this small dam, but in 1999 it was dry.
11
MHL :- Merja Halloufa.
Described in detail by Castro & Recio (1997). Like nearby Merja Barga, receives drainage
water from irrigated market gardens (mainly strawberries) surrounding the lake. This has
caused a marked decrease in water quality and increase in water level in recent years (M.
Maghnouj pers. comm. 1999). The appearance of this site has changed since a previous
visit in January 1994, and all the emergent vegetation had disappeared.
MOS :- Merja Oulad Shker.
Described in detail by Castro & Recio (1997).
MOU :- Moulouya delta.
The marsh "Marais à Moulouya" within the Moulouya delta described by Morgan with an
area of 100 ha was described as having an area more like 300 ha by 1989. This marsh
increased in size as a consequence of hydrological changes associated with the construction
of upstream dams and irrigation projects (Brosset 1990). However, this marsh is now
drained and the only surviving wetlands are fragments of marsh surrounding the river
mouth totalling about 100 ha in area. Of these remaining wetlands, Morgan only described
a small oxbow, but they are of considerable interest for the breeding of Marbled Teal and
Purple Gallinule, and the presence of the threatened plant Althenia orientalis. The brood
and most of the adults of Marbled Teal were seen in the marsh on the western side of the
river mouth. However, these wetlands are highly threatened by the construction of a new
road and bridge at the river mouth (in 1999), and a construction of a new fishing and tourist
port and rapid tourist development along the coast to the east. Development agencies have
claimed that the biological value of remaining wetlands is “almost null” (SECA-BCEOM
1992), and their future is precarious.
MOV :- Barrage Mohamed V.
An extremely interesting site worthy of further study. Inaccessible and difficult to survey,
requiring a 4x4 vehicle. Includes a vast area of flooded Tamarix where all the Marbled Teal
and Ferruginous Ducks were located in 1997. Owing to problems of access, less than 5% of
this area was surveyed in 1997, and it is possible that much higher numbers of both duck
species were present. The Tamarix provides a good nesting habitat for waterbirds in years
of high water levels such as 1997. In 1999, the water levels were much lower, leaving the
Tamarix several metres above the water line and making the site unsuitable for nesting
ducks. Important stands of Tamarix had been cut down by subsistence farmers cultivating
the eastern shoreline.
PDI :- Plan d'eau d'Ifrane.
A small pond in the centre of Ifrane town. Crested Coot have previously been recorded
breeding here (last record 1992), but the site no longer contains aquatic vegetation and
appears to be degraded, perhaps by urban pollution. It no longer seems suitable for Crested
Coot.
12
ROU :- Dayet Roureg.
This small lake was subjected to major landscape change and degradation prior to the 1990s
(Flower et al. 1992), probably associated with the construction of the Nador canal (R. J.
Flower in litt. 1999). In 1999 a road was in construction in the sand dunes alongside the
lake and along the west coast of the nearby Merja Zerga. This road seems certain to lead to
major sedimentation and disturbance at this site.
SBG :- Lac de Sidi Bou Ghaba (Laguna de Mehdia).
After Merja Zerga, this wetland has received more attention from the conservation
movement than any other Moroccan wetland. Still of great ornithological importance,
particularly for the Marbled Teal, Crested Coot and Ferruginous Duck that breed and winter
there (with notable counts of 1,680 Marbled Teal in January 1982 and 557 Crested Coot in
October 1997). The description of Morgan is still largely accurate with the following
exceptions. The Biological Reserve is no longer surrounded by a stock-proof fence and is
grazed illegally by cattle. In contrast, the northern shores are no longer grazed. As a result,
extensive beds of Typha and Phragmites have now developed in the northern half of the
lagoon. The abundance and species composition of submerged vegetation undergo
fluctuations and there are more species present than suggested by Morgan. Ruppia and
Chara aspera are also present (R.J. Flower pers. commun.). In October 1997, the beds of
submerged vegetation in the northern part of the lake (mainly Potamogeton pectinatus)
were unusually extensive and dense. This probably explains the exceptional number of
Crested and Common Coot present at that time. As well as carp, Black-bass and Gambusia
were introduced by 1976 (Thévenot 1976).
Sedimentation rates have increased in recent decades and are now c.2 cm per year,
suggesting that the whole lake will become seasonal by 2050 (Flower et al. 1992).
Sediment cores reveal an increase in atmospheric pollution since 1970, probably from the
nearby city of Kenitra (Flower et al. 1992).
There remains intense recreational pressure from local tourists and picnickers, and the
resulting disturbance clearly reduces the use of the eastern margins by waterbirds (A.J.
Green unpubl. data), and may reduce the carrying capacity of the lake. In 1995, under a
BirdLife project, barriers were set up to prevent growing numbers of visitors in cars from
gaining access to the lake shore, and a hide was constructed to encourage birdwatching.
However, there was no maintenance of this infrastructure and by 1999 the barriers had been
removed and the hide vandalised beyond repair. For further information about this wetland,
see Thévenot (1976) and Aguesse et al. (1983).
SID :- Aguelmame Sidi Ali.
Considered by Morgan (1982) as “fresh”, we recorded conductivities of 1.1-1.6 mS,
equivalent to oligosaline. Water levels are now reduced and the marsh to the south-west of
the lake described by Dorst (1951) no longer exists. Grazing pressure in spring and summer
by flocks of sheep and goats brought by nomads is intense, and emergent vegetation is
13
almost eliminated. The nesting of Podiceps cristatus as described in 1965 (Géroudet 1965)
is now impossible owing to lack of vegetation. Numbers of wintering waterbirds have
decreased markedly since 1983, and poaching of the protected Tadorna ferruginea and
other waterfowl is a major problem (Pouteau 1993; Franchimont et al. 1994).
SLI :- Salines de Lixus.
Complex of salines on the west side of the P2 road at the mouth of the Loukkos river.
SMO :- Sidi Moussa-Oualidia complex.
Only those parts of this huge complex of wetlands that seemed likely to hold ducks or coots
were surveyed thoroughly, and the counts do not reflect this area's huge importance for
waders. Particular attention was paid to the wetland known as Daia Oulad Salem - El Hotba
and the lake immediately to its south (Table 2). Almost all records of Marbled Teal from
this wetland complex seem to be from this area (Green 1993).
The whole complex of coastal lagoons between Sidi Moussa and Oualidia has been affected
by further creation of salines, intense reed-cutting and grazing, and recently the
intensification of agriculture, including creation of greenhouses, on the surrounding sandy
slopes
El Hotba and adjacent wetlands (SMO1)
This and the lake immediately to the south (32º55’N, 08º49’W) constitute the most
important part of the complex for Marbled Teal and other Anatidae, and the most diverse
wetland for plants in all the complex (largely owing to the relatively low salinity in these
lakes). El Hotba is now subdivided by the construction of two causeways, as well as
modernised salines at the northern end. The site is bordered by intensive horticulture reliant
on freshwater extraction and agrochemicals (Dakki & Hamzaoui, 1997). Although hunting
is reportedly forbidden at this site, this is not respected (hunting with shotguns and traps
was observed in 1995 and 1997).
SMO2 Oualidia
Area of tidal marsh and salines just to the north of Oualidia, where small numbers of
Marbled Teal have often been recorded. Considerably more degraded than the El Hotba
area, with much less emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation.
SZI :- Sebkha Zima.
The commercial saline at the eastern end has been extended and is still in operation, using
water extracted from this salt lake and covering part of the lake bed. As a result, what
remains of the lake is now more temporary than before, and is always dry by May, and
often sooner (e.g. it was dry on 8.3.95). In 1997 the lake was probably dry until the heavy
rains of 21 October, four days before it was surveyed. Only 25% of the basin was inundated
at the time of the survey.
14
TGH :- Aguelmame Tghalouine.
This interesting crater lake is relatively hard to access, but appears to have the potential to
be an important site for Ruddy Shelduck during years of high rainfall. It only held a few cm
of water in 1999.
TIF :- Aguelmame Tifounassine.
Considered by Morgan (1982) as “fresh”, we recorded conductivities of 1.2-1.4 mS,
equivalent to oligosaline. This remains an important site diverse in aquatic plants and
waterbirds, although heavily grazed by sheep. At the western end, small ponds have been
dug apparently to provide watering holes for livestock, and are connected to the main lake
by artificial channels. Water levels were low on 25.5.99, when only about half the lake bed
was flooded. If fully inundated, the area would approach 70 ha (in contrast to Morgan’s
estimate of 25+ under blizzard conditions).
TIS :- Lac Tislit
Several changes have been recorded since Morgan (1982). Fish introductions are likely to
have increased as a Rutillus like cyprinid is present. A hotel has been constructed on the
lake edge, and the lake is used regularly for sport fishing. In 1996, poplars were planted
around the edge, but many of them are dead already as they were planted below the high
water mark. Considered by Morgan (1982) as “fresh”, yet we recorded a conductivity of 1.4
mS, equivalent to oligosaline. Now included within the Western High Atlas National Park.
TNG :- Tnine-Gharbia.
Small lake not marked on the road maps and found c.2 km to the north-west of the town by
this name on the 1336 (near Oualidia). Dry in 1999.
ZER :- Plan d'eau de Zerrouka.
Found alongside the P24 just to the north of Ifrane. Unlike other lakes in the Middle Atlas
region, this small lake is closely guarded, allowing Crested Coot to breed undisturbed
throughout the year (Tables 6 and 11).
Dayèt Iffer
A small, steep-sided crater lake which held no waterbirds during our only visit in 1997.
Merja Douyiet
Not visited. This wetland (described in detail by Franchimont et al. 1990) is now included
within the Royal Estate and access is restricted. It remains a diverse site of considerable
importance, with breeding Marbled Teal and Crested Coot. No threats have been identified.
The lack of human disturbance and other threats, combined with the artificial maintenance
15
of adequate water levels, has made this the most important wetland in central Morocco for
waterbirds (Franchimont et al. 1994).
Other wetlands
Merja Zerga receives considerable attention from the conservation movement, and supports
higher numbers of waterbirds than any other Moroccan wetland. Although we studied some
peripheral wetlands (MME and ROU), we were unable to census the merja itself owing to
the logistical problems involved. Furthermore, Merja Zerga is relatively unimportant for the
threatened species we are studying. It seems to have lost its former value for Marbled Teal,
since there are no recent counts of high numbers (Green 1993).
Dayèt Merzouga is a temporary wetland very important for Marbled Teal (Green 1993),
which was not visited as we obtained reliable information that it was completely dry both in
October 1997 and May 1999.
On 12.10.97, we visited Sedd-el-Mejnoun, a temporary marsh where Marbled Teal have
been recorded (Green 1993), but it was completely dry and appears only to hold water in
winter. It was our intention to survey Dayèt al Hafs near El Jadida, another site of
importance for Marbled Teal (Green 1993, Table 12), but we were unable to locate the
wetland in 1997. On 9.5.99 it was dry.
5. IDENTIFYING WETLANDS IMPORTANT FOR THREATENED SPECIES
In order to identify those wetlands in Morocco important for threatened species, we initially
used the 1% criteria listed in Table 1. According to criterion 6 of the Ramsar convention
(http://www.ramsar.org/), a wetland can be considered internationally important if “it regularly
supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterfowl”.
Rose & Scott (1997) provide 1% thresholds for different waterbird populations (Table 1). In
the case of Crested Coot, a precise estimate of population size is not currently available, and
Rose & Scott (1997) list it as <10,000 individuals. Thus, according to them the 1% criterion is
undefined but somewhere below 100. On the basis of our results (see below), we propose a
working population estimate of 5,000 individuals with a 1% criterion of 50.
In the case of many Moroccan wetlands, it is not easy to assess if they support 1% of a
population of a threatened species “regularly”, since few systematic surveys have been
conducted outside the midwinter period. Furthermore, many large sites are difficult to survey
and numbers of threatened waterbirds present are often likely to have been underestimated. In
the case of Crested Coots, species identification is complicated and numbers present have
often been underestimated for that reason. Thus, we suggest that any Moroccan wetland at
which the 1% threshold has been passed at least once during the 1990s can be considered to be
internationally important for the species, pending more detailed study.
At seventeen of the wetlands visited by us, our waterbird counts during surveys in 1995-1999
exceeded the 1% criteria for at least one threatened species on at least one visit. At four of
these sites the 1% threshold for other waterbird species was also surpassed (at other times of
16
year, some of the wetlands we have studied hold more than 1% of the populations of other
waterbird species – see e.g. El Agbani et al. 1996; Scott & Rose 1996).
Details of these 17 sites are presented below. Threatened species names given in brackets are
those for which our own counts did not exceed the 1% threshold, but counts made by others in
the 1990s have done. We list maximum counts during the 1990s for each species and site. N
indicates these counts are from our own data (Tables 3-9); T indicates they are from Table 12;
P signifies data from Porphyrio (Chronique Ornithologique de GOMAC); I signifies IWC
data.
In addition, wetlands shown to be important for each threatened species as a breeding site are
indicated in the right column. Co = breeding confirmed during the 1990s; Pr = breeding
probable during the 1990s.
Aguelmame Afenourir (AFE)
Tadorna ferruginea
Fulica cristata
Barrage Al Massira (BAM)
Tadorna ferruginea
Marmaronetta angustirostris
Charadrius alexandrinus
Himantopus himantopus
Marais Bas Loukkos (BLO)
Fulica cristata
(+ Marmaronetta angustirostris )
(+ Aythya nyroca )
650 N
1113 N
Co
Co
427 15/1/95 I
1973 I’93
Pr
Pr
3000, 3/1/91 P
75 T
100 T
Co
Co
Co
Barrage El Mansour Eddahbi/Ouarzazate (BOU)
255 T
Tadorna ferruginea
500 T
Pr
Dayèt Aaoua (DAO)
Fulica cristata
878 N
1200 T
Co
Dayèt Hachlaf (DHA)
Fulica cristata
188 N
Pr
Dayèt Ifrah (DIF)
Tadorna ferruginea
(+ Fulica cristata )
70 N
40 T
Embouchure de l’Oued Massa (EMA)
(+ Tadorna ferruginea )
350 I’91
47, 15/1/95 I
Co
Barrage Idriss Premier (IDR)
Tadorna ferruginea
Merja Barga (MBA)
Fulica cristata
Platalea leucorodia
Netta rufina
Merja Oulad Shker (MOS)
Fulica cristata
Barrage Mohamed V (MOV)
Tadorna ferruginea
Phoenicopterus ruber
Gelochelidon nilotica
260, 6/11/94 P
396 N
197 N
455 N
383 N
Pr
Pr
Sidi Bou Ghaba (SBG)
Fulica cristata
835, 3/12/91 P
557 N
Co
Co
Aguelmame Sidi Ali (SID)
Fulica cristata
“des centaines” 25/12/96 P
378, 20/2/93 P
Co
Salines de Lixus (SLI)
63 N
Sidi Moussa-Oualidia complex (SMO)
(+Fulica cristata )
Recurvirostra avosetta
Platalea leucorodia
Aguelmame Tifounassine (TIF)
Tadorna ferruginea
Fulica cristata
1420 N
123 T
70, 4/11/91 P
Pr
302 15/1/91 I
195 N
Pr
Co
17
18
In addition, data from sources other than our own surveys indicate that the following
additional sites exceed the 1% criterion for the threatened species, and can also be
considered to be internationally important:
Barrage Taghdoute (BTA)
Tadorna ferruginea
31 T
Barrage Youssef Ben Tachfine (BYB)
700 T
Barrage Machra Hommadi (MHA)
Tadorna ferruginea
49 + 13jeunes, 26/5/96 P
62, 29/10/95 P
Merja Halloufa (MHL)
Fulica cristata
200, 25/2/92 P
Moulouya Delta (MOU)
90 T
Sebkha Zima (SZI)
Tadorna ferruginea
250 T
56, 5/2/95 P
Aguelmane Tghalouine (TGH)
Tadorna ferruginea
33, 15/1/91 I
Plan d’eau Zerrouka (ZER)
Fulica cristata
64, 15/1/95 I
Aguelmane Azigza
Tadorna ferruginea
61, 15/1/91 I
Barrage d’Achbarou
Tadorna ferruginea
190, 15/11/92 P
Barrage d’Ain Beni Mathar
Tadorna ferruginea
83, 25/12/92 P
Barrage Hassan Ad Dakhil
Tadorna ferruginea
40, 18/4/96 P
Barrage Lalla Takerkoust
Tadorna ferruginea
41, 24/1/93 I
Co
Co
Co
Barrage Tleta Bou Beker
Tadorna ferruginea
62, 24/11/96 P
Barrage Wad Al Mahkazine
Tadorna ferruginea
65, 15/1/91 I
Dayet Al Hafs
150 T
Daya près de Khnifiss
Tadorna ferruginea
63, 22/1/90 I
Douyiet
Fulica cristata
519, 23/12/96 P
625, 11/1/90 P
Embouchure de l’Oued Ouar
Tadorna ferruginea
37, 22/1/90 P
Lac de Ouiouane
Tadorna ferruginea
26, 12/1/90 I
Lagune de Khnifiss
Tadorna ferruginea
300, 27/1/93 I
Lagune de Layoune
Tadorna ferruginea
122, 15/1/95 I
Lagunes près d’Akhfennir
Tadorna ferruginea
63, 22/1/90 P
Merja Zerga
Fulica cristata
67, 18/1/92 I
Merzouga
Tadorna ferruginea
1000, 13/1/96 P
660, 18/4/96 P
Mohammedia
220 T
Oued Bou Issafene
550 T
Plan d’eau Safi
Tadorna ferruginea
54, 15/1/94 I
Co
Co
Co
Co
19
Sebkha Fida Ameziane
Tadorna ferruginea
20
48, 11/8/96 P
In addition, 180 M. angustirostris were counted at a wetland “about 8 km west of Khemisdes Zemamra” on 2/3/2000 (T). The precise location and name of this site is unclear.
Furthermore, there is an extraordinary count of 500 Fulica cristata from Barrage
Abdelkarim El Khattabi on 27/9/90 (P), which requires reconfirmation.
All the above sites could be designated as Ramsar sites on the basis of criterion 6. However, of
the above 46 sites, only four (Sidi Bou Ghaba, Aguelmame Afenourir, Merja Zerga and
Lagune de Khnifiss) are currently listed as Ramsar Sites.
From all these 46 sites of importance for threatened waterbirds, we have identified 14 Key
Sites that are vital to the conservation of threatened waterbirds in Morocco (Table 14). All
these sites have held more than 10% of the estimated total population of at least one
threatened species on at least one occasion in the 1990s, and have regularly held more than
1% of the population of at least one other threatened species. With the possible exception of
EMA, SZI and TIF, this 10% threshold appears to be surpassed on a regular basis at each of
these sites.
Although there are no Moroccan wetlands that surpass the 1% threshold of 325 for Glossy
Ibis, these 14 Key Sites include all those that are important for this species (see below).
6. VALUE OF THESE KEY SITES FOR OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES
Key Sites for the threatened waterbird species, particularly the mountain lakes of the
middle Atlas region plus the Bas Loukkos marshes, are also particularly diverse wetlands
for aquatic plants (Fig. 1). Conservation of these sites would therefore benefit aquatic
biodiversity in general.
Freshwater, natural wetlands in Morocco are more important for threatened species such as
the Crested Coot, and are also those facing greatest rates of wetland loss. In addition, these
sites are those holding the greatest diversity of submerged or floating plant taxa
(Spearman’s rank correlation between number of plant taxa and conductivity, N = 34, r s = 0.420, p < 0.015) (Fig. 1). This is confirmed by previous data presented by Morgan (1982),
as there is a significant negative correlation between the number of submerged or floating
plant taxa described and his salinity data (substituting our conductivity data for those sites
described simply as “fresh”, Spearman’s rank correlation, N = 19, rs = -0-675, p < 0.002).
His data also show that fresher wetlands tend to support more zooplankton taxa (N = 19, rs
= -0.411, p = 0.08).
Although the relationship between conductivity and plant diversity holds true for both
natural and artificial wetlands in Morocco, in general the natural wetlands support more
biodiversity than the artificial ones (Fig. 1). This is despite the fact that the artificial
wetlands (particularly the reservoirs) tend to be much larger in area than the natural ones.
21
Conservation of Marais Bas Loukos (BLO) and those Key Sites which are mountain lakes
(AFE, DAO, SID and TIF) is particularly important as these are natural, freshwater
wetlands of types that are rapidly being destroyed in Morocco. Of those wetlands studied
by Morgan (1982), 44% of the area of mountain lakes had been lost by 1999, including
diverse sites very important for Crested Coot such as Dayat Annoceur and Dayat al Hachlaf
(DHA). Morgan classified BLO as a seasonal Phragmites/Scirpus lacustris marsh, and 33%
of the area of these marshes was lost by 1999, owing to the destruction of the Marais à
Moulouya (MOU).
7. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF MARBLED TEAL
Our counts of Marbled Teal compare very favourably with the totals for Morocco
registered during the International Waterbird Census since it began in the 1960s. Our total
count in 1997 of 1,877 has been exceeded only once (in 1993, when 2,410 Marbled Teal
were recorded) in 21 years of extensive midwinter censuses (up to and including 1995). It
can be combined with the 399 Marbled Teal censused in Spain from 11 to 19 October,
giving a regional total count of 2,276 Marbled Teal for October 1997.
In 1997 we recorded 1,420 of these birds at Sidi Moussa-Oualidia. This in fact represents a
minimum count, and there were probably at least 1,600 birds present at that site. This
represents the third highest count of Marbled Teal at a single wetland in Morocco over the
last 20 years (higher counts were made at Sidi Bou Ghaba in 1982 and Barrage Al Massira
in 1993), and a record for this site. The highest previous count at Sidi Moussa was of 1,100
on 25.3.89 (Green 1993).
Some of the Moroccan wetlands we were unable to visit during our 1997 surveys are of
considerable importance for this species, and there can be little doubt that important
numbers of additional Marbled Teal were overlooked for this reason. Indeed, important
counts totalling 475 Marbled Teal were made in December 1997 at Dayèt Al Hafs, Oued
Massa estuary and Douyiet (Table 12), three sites not visited in October.
Together with data from Table 14 and an extraordinary count of 4,260 Marbled Teal on the
Cap Bon peninsula in Tunisia on 7.10.99 (N. Gilissen pers. comm.), these counts suggest
that the estimate of 3,000 birds for the wintering population in the West Mediterranean
region (Rose & Scott 1997) is a significant underestimate, at least in some years. A regional
total of 5,000 may be a more appropriate estimate. However, it is very important to take
into account the fact that this species undergoes very large fluctuations in population size
between years (Green 1999), and that there may be considerably less than 5,000 birds in
winter in some years. In addition, post-breeding mortality in this species is very high
(Green 1999), and if there were 4,000 in October, there may be only 3,000 by the following
January.
All Moroccan wetlands where Marbled Teal are known have bred in the 1990s are listed
above in section 5. Owing to the fact that this species breeds extremely late compared with
other ducks, we recorded only one brood during our surveys in May 1999 (Tables 10-11),
22
although established pairs were recorded at several sites. The major improvement in our
understanding of breeding distribution since the extensive review by Green (1993) has been
the discovery of at least 16 broods in 1999 in the wetlands of Mohammedia (Table 12).
This instantly makes this previously ignored site the most important known breeding site in
Morocco, and one of the most important sites in the whole West Mediterranean. However,
it seems very likely that there are still other important breeding sites in Morocco that have
yet to be identified. Based on the number of pairs recorded in May 1999, we believe that
the El Hotba area of Sidi Moussa (SMO1) and Barrage Al Massira (MOV) each have the
potential to be major breeding sites. However, intense levels of human disturbance at both
sites probably prevent effective breeding. In years of high water levels, Barrage Mohamed
V (MOV) could also be a major breeding site.
8. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF CRESTED COOT
As far as we know, our total count of 3,475 Crested Coot in October 1997 is the highest
total ever recorded for a Moroccan waterbird survey of any kind, and higher than any
national total for a midwinter census. The previous record was of 3,317 individuals
recorded in the midwinter census of 1991 (with 3,000 at Marais Bas Loukkos). A major
factor here is clearly the difficulty of separating this species from the Common Coot in the
field, which requires a good telescope and considerable patience. In most of the wetlands
we surveyed, we were only able to identify a proportion of the Fulica sp. present, and we
extrapolated the results to the total number of birds observed. In wetlands where both
Fulica species were present, it was clear that the ratio between them varied considerably
from one part of the wetland to another, in function of the habitat available. For that reason,
we identified coots in as many parts of the wetland as possible, extrapolating to estimate the
number of each species in each part of the wetland before summing to produce totals.
The ratio between the two coot species varied enormously from 0% to 91% Fulica cristata
(Tables 3-9), and we found marked differences in habitat use between species to be
described in detail elsewhere. In summary, F. atra was almost confined to areas of open
water, whereas F. cristata showed a strong preference for areas where dense beds of
submerged or floating vegetation filled the surface layer. Consequently, Crested Coot fed
more on the surface and Common Coot dived more. This habitat selection was also
reflected between wetlands, with a highly significant correlation between the proportion of
a wetland surface area occupied with submerged or floating vegetation, and the proportion
of coots that were F. cristata. These patterns were consistent both in October and May.
F. cristata was still breeding in October, with young chicks seen in various lakes in the
middle Atlas and in Sidi Bou Ghaba (Table 6). Some large F. atra chicks were seen at
Barrage Mechra Homadi (Table 6).
In the absence of records of Crested Coot from Algeria or Tunisia in recent decades (Heim
de Balsac & Mayaud 1962), and in the light of the very small population surviving in
Spain, we consider our estimate of 5,000 birds for the western Mediterranean population of
this species to be valid for use by the Ramsar Convention, Wetlands International or for
designating IBAs/ZICOs for this species.
23
All sites where Crested Coot are known to breed nowadays are identified above in section 5
with the exception of plan d'eau d'Ifrane (PDI), where breeding was last confirmed in 1992
(GOMAC). It apparently breeds later in the year than any other waterbird in Morocco
(Table 6), and nesting has been recorded in the lakes of the Middle Atlas region throughout
the winter months (GOMAC). However, there are major differences in breeding activity
between years at a given site, and there is relatively less breeding during dry years such as
1999. At Sidi Bou Ghaba (SBG), there was no breeding at all during 1992 and 1993
(GOMAC). In general, 1997 (Table 6) seems to have been a much better breeding year than
1999 (Tables 10-11).
Unlike Marbled Teal, we believe the major breeding sites for Crested Coot in Morocco are
all now identified and included in section 5. The Crested Coot are highly dependent on a
relatively small number of wetlands (mountain lakes plus BLO) providing well developed
and diverse beds of submerged vegetation. Such conditions require high water quality that
is hard to conserve in a rapidly developing country such as Morocco. Furthermore,
submerged vegetation is very sensitive to changes in sediment inputs and nutrient loads and
can easily be wiped out by introductions of fish, exotic crayfish or treading by large
herbivores (e.g. Duarte et al. 1990, Scheffer et al. 1993). This makes the Crested Coot a
particularly difficult species to conserve, but at the same time it is a better indicator of
quality wetland habitat than other threatened species (i.e. a good "umbrella species" for
conservation programmes). It is clearly less able to exploit reservoirs than either Marbled
Teal or Ruddy Shelduck (section 5), and so more dependent on critically threatened Key
Sites (Table 14). Wetlands where this species was a common breeder but which have since
been destroyed include Merja Daoura (Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962) and Dayet
Annoceur (Morgan 1982).
The Ferruginous Duck is another species heavily dependent on aquatic vegetation.
However, the Crested Coot is the only one of the two able to nest on platforms in the
middle of beds of submerged vegetation. This allows it to breed on sites where the
emergent vegetation fringing the wetland has been removed by overgrazing and reedcutting
(e.g. DAO, AFE, TIF). However, where such vegetation exists, the coots also use it for
nesting (e.g. BLO, SBG).
9. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF FERRUGINOUS DUCK
The Ferruginous Duck was once a common breeding species in Merja Daoura (now
destroyed) and also bred near Tangiers and on Lake Timdighas (location unknown) and
Agualmane Miami in the Middle Atlas (Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962). Small numbers
of Ferruginous Duck have bred at two Moroccan wetlands in recent years (BLO and SBG,
Table 12). Counts of 65-100 have been made at BLO in two winters (Table 12, IWC), and
up to 44 have been recorded at MHA (2/12/94, GOMAC). Counts of 11-14 have also been
made at SBG, MBA and EMA (Table 12, IWC). Whilst important numbers of this species
breed in Algeria, this is not the case either in Morocco or Spain. This species is dependent
on sites with extensive growths of both emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation (Green
1998a). Whilst such conditions are available in BLO and SBG some years, the widespread
24
overgrazing and reed-cutting found in Moroccan wetlands has removed the reedbeds from
many sites.
10. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF RUDDY SHELDUCK
Total numbers of Ruddy Shelduck recorded in this study in 1997 and 1999 (Table 1) were
higher than the totals for the Moroccan midwinter census of both 1993 and 1994 but lower
than the 1,513 birds recorded in 1995 (Rose & Taylor 1993; Rose 1995; Delany et al.
1999). Compared with other threatened species, a relatively large number of sites exceeding
the 1% threshold of 25 birds have been identified (section 5). This is probably partly
explained by the conspicuous nature of this species (i.e. birdwatchers may be more likely to
spot them and to count them accurately than for less conspicuous species), and partly owing
to their highly dispersive movements (Vielliard 1970; Cramp & Simmons 1977). However,
we suspect that it also reflects an underestimated regional population. Ruddy Shelduck is
also recorded in Algeria (where many wetlands are not counted regularly) and Tunisia
(where breeding was confirmed in 1995, Yésou & South 1995).
There could be significantly more than 2,500 birds remaining in the west Mediterranean.
However, there is no doubt that this population of Ruddy Shelduck has suffered a major
decline since the 1960s when Vielliard (1970) estimated the breeding population in the
Middle Atlas as approaching 1,000 pairs, plus several hundred pairs further south (e.g. 50
pairs in Lac Iriki, 90-150 pairs in Dayet Tiour, two wetlands since destroyed). The species
had already disappeared as a breeder from large parts of northern Morocco before the 1960s
(Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962). This decline probably largely explains the
disappearance of the species as a post-breeding visitor to Doñana (Vielliard 1970; Cramp &
Simmons 1977).
Whilst it shares several Key Sites in the Middle Atlas with Crested Coot, the Ruddy
Shelduck is clearly better able to exploit new, artificial habitats (reservoirs) than the
Crested Coot, and appears less dependent on the highly fragile Atlas sites so rich in
submerged vegetation (see section 5). In principle this makes the Ruddy Shelduck easier to
conserve, but a less useful indicator of wetland biodiversity, than the coot. In contrast, the
Ruddy Shelduck uses mainly the periphery of wetlands for grazing on grasslands or feeding
on mudflats or at the water's edge. This makes it more susceptible to human disturbance
and competition with sheep, goats and other abundant large herbivores than the Crested
Coot, which is more able to use the centre of wetlands.
All sites where the Ruddy Shelduck is known to have bred in Morocco in the 1990s are
identified in section 5, with the exception of Oued Chebika where a brood was observed on
17/5/96 (GOMAC). It remains very unclear what proportion of breeding pairs use known
breeding sites such as AFE or SID, and what proportion use other sites (e.g. BMA, MOV or
sites yet to be identified). This species can nest in holes some kilometres from water
(Cramp & Simmons 1977), so that nesting pairs are easily overlooked during surveys.
Almost nothing is known about the biology of this species (Cramp & Simmons 1977). Our
observations showed how both parents show close attendance of young, and how brood
25
amalgamation is common. At SID (Table 11), we saw two adults with 17 small (20% of
adult size) young, and another two adults with 25 young (10 at 25% and 15 at 20% of adult
size).
11. STATUS AND MOVEMENTS OF GLOSSY IBIS
Glossy Ibis is said to have been quite a common breeder in North Morocco in the last
century (Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962), but this is no longer the case. Although no
Moroccan wetlands hold enough Glossy Ibis to meet the 1% criterion, in the 1990s flocks
of over 10 birds have been recorded from 4 wetlands along the Atlantic coast: BLO (up to
50, 28/1/93), EMA/OMA (up to 67, 29/1/96), MBA (27, 28/10/91) and SMO (29, Table 5).
In recent decades, breeding has been recorded only at OMA, where 13 pairs bred in 1994
(GOMAC). The habitat at OMA appears very suitable for the species, but subjected to high
levels of human disturbance that probably inhibit breeding. Although no breeding has been
confirmed there since 1994, the ringing programme of the expanding colony of Glossy
Ibises breeding in Doñana has provided fascinating data on the movements of this species
between Andalusia and Morocco. Since November 1998, six ibises ringed as chicks in
Doñana in 1997 or 1998 have been observed in Oued Massa. Two birds ringed in June
1998 were recorded in Oued Massa that November, then again in Doñana in December,
then again in Oued Massa in May 99 (EBD unpublished data).
These data on marked birds provide an excellent example of the need for collaboration
between Spain and Morocco to ensure the conservation of threatened waterbirds. BLO,
MBA and SMO probably serve as stopover sites for ibis moving between Oued Massa and
Doñana. In Doñana a rapid increase in the size of the breeding colony established at Lucio
de Cerrado Garrido occurred between 1996 and 1998, culminating in 74-84 pairs in 1996
that fledged 111-118 chicks, 86 of which were ringed. However, in 1999, a very dry year,
no breeding occurred at that site, although one pair bred in the Brazo del Este.
12. STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF WHITE-HEADED DUCK
We did not locate any individuals of this species. Although White-headed Duck was
formerly a breeding species in Morocco (Green & Anstey 1992), there are only two records
of White-headed Duck from Morocco in recent years: two observations of a male at Merja
Bargha in May and June 1997 (Castro et al. 1997). Although the introduced North
American Ruddy Duck Oxyura leucocephala has been recorded on numerous occasions in
Morocco in the 1990s (Garrido & Mañez 1996; Castro & Torres 1997; Torres & AlcalaZamora 1997), we did not record a single individual despite careful inspection of all the
major sites for this species (with the notable exception of Douyiet, where this species may
still be present). The disappearance of this species may perhaps reflect the changes in
recent years at Merjas Barga and Halloufa (MBA and MHL), where it is possible that this
species bred during the period 1992-1995. These sites have recently lost their emergent
vegetation that provided suitable breeding habitat. In addition, tourist hunting and fishing
with gill nets at both sites may have caused high mortality.
26
In Morocco there is now a shortage of reasonably deep wetlands with an extensive fringe of
emergent vegetation where White-headed Duck could potentially breed, mainly owing to
widespread overgrazing and reed-cutting. Furthermore, permanent freshwater sites with a
fringe of emergent vegetation (e.g. MHA) do not provide good conditions for benthic
chironomids, the staple food of this species throughout the annual cycle (Green & Hilton
1998; Green et al. 1999). Whilst the brackish SBG (where the species was formerly
recorded, Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962) with its extensive reedbeds potentially provides
suitable habitat, in this case the introduced carp population is likely to seriously impair the
possibility that White-headed Duck could breed there. Even without the serious threats
from hunting and fishing nets, it is not clear that Morocco currently provides suitable
conditions for a population of White-headed Ducks. This may explain why the recent
expansion of White-headed Ducks from Andalucía towards the east and north in Spain
(Ayala et al. 1994; Torres & Alcalá-Zamora 1997) has not been reflected by an expansion
into Morocco.
13. PROPOSED MEASURES FOR CONSERVATION OF THREATENED
WATERBIRDS AND THEIR HABITAT IN MOROCCO
Threatened waterbirds and other aquatic species are badly affected by continuing wetland
loss and degradation in Morocco (Chergui et al. 1999), as in other Mediterranean countries.
Some 34,000 ha of coastal wetlands have already been drained in Morocco (Dakki &
Hamzaoui 1997). Our own calculations show that about 44% of the area of mountain lakes
have been destroyed over the past 20 years. However, only a small proportion of the
remaining wetlands have an effective protection status, and it is vital that measures are
taken quickly to conserve the most important sites. The need to further wetland
conservation is clearly recognised by the Moroccan government in their national report
presented to the COP7 Ramsar conference (http://www.ramsar.org/cop/_nr_morocco.htm).
We have identified 14 Key Sites of great importance for the threatened species under
consideration (Table 14). These include unprotected wetlands of a quality and biodiversity
which, in our opinion, are impossible to find in the European Mediterranean countries
owing to an even faster and more extensive wetland degradation in these countries.
Obviously, wetland conservation in Morocco and elsewhere is a hugely complex issue
requiring an integrated approach that involves action on many fronts, including economic,
education and development policies (see Sutherland 1998). Our aim in this report is not to
make a comprehensive list of proposals for such an integrated strategy, but rather to
highlight measures that would assure the conservation of threatened waterbird species.
Whilst appropriate measures are entirely at the discretion of the Moroccan authorities, we
offer here some suggestions as wetland biologists as to what could be done to conserve the
wetlands covered in this report and the birds and other aquatic life within them. In order to
be successful, our proposals would need to be integrated with those from specialists from
other disciplines.
As well as the Key Sites listed in Table 14, we have identified many more wetlands of
importance for threatened waterbird species (section 5). However, given the limited
resources available, we suggest the highest priority is to conserve those sites in Table 14. In
27
particular, it would be appropriate to concentrate efforts on those Key Sites identified as
critically threatened (AFE, BLO, DAO, SID, SMO1 and TIF) before irreparable damage
occurs to them and their bird populations.
13.1 Site by site protection measures - Critically threatened Key Sites
We consider Critically threatened Key Sites to be those wetlands facing such severe threats
that they are likely to lose their value for threatened waterbirds within the next decade (i.e.
before 2010) unless specific conservation measures are taken (see Table 14).
AFE, DAO, SID, TIF, BLO
Here we consider together Aguelmame Afenourir AFE, Dayet Aoua DAO, Aguelmame
Sidi Ali SID, Aguelmame Tifounassine TIF, and Marais Bas Loukkos BLO. Of these five
sites, only AFE has protected status, but even this site is critically threatened. All five sites
require protection of the whole watershed of the lake to guarantee the high quality and
quantity of water required to maintain these delicate ecosystems. Measures are needed to
deal with threats from deforestation, pollution, fish introductions, hunting, grazing and
reedcutting.
El Hotba and lake immediately to the south, Sidi Moussa (SMO1)
This site of immense importance for the Marbled Teal would probably be a major breeding
site for this species and many other waterbirds if it were not for the intense disturbance,
reedcutting and poaching by the local human population. This site requires a strict
protection status that includes the watershed of the lake. Measures are needed to deal with
threats from pollution (particularly the surrounding market gardens), hunting, grazing and
reedcutting.
13.2 Site by site protection measures - other Key Sites
Sebkha Zima (SZI)
The value of this inland salt lake for waterbirds has been greatly affected by the expansion
of the salines on the lake bed. It is ironic that so many marine salines have been abandoned
in Europe, often to the detriment of the avifauna, whilst inland salines in Morocco are still
operating to the detriment of waterbirds. This lake deserves protection and, if possible,
restoration to its former condition.
Oued Massa (OMA/EMA)
Whilst protection measures in the national park at the mouth of the Oued Massa (EMA) are
adequate for the threatened waterbird species, this is not the case upstream in the area used
by Glossy Ibis and many Marbled Teal for breeding (OMA). Pumping of water from the
28
oued is a problem, and despite suitable habitat it is difficult for the Glossy Ibis to obtain the
tranquillity necessary to establish a colony.
Merzouga
This site deserves strict protection. More specific recommendations can not be made, as we
were unable to visit the site.
Barrage Al Massira.
It is likely that both Marbled Teal and Ruddy Shelduck attempt to breed at this site, but
they are subjected to heavy disturbance and hunting by fishermen, farmers etc. Islands and
other areas suitable for breeding could be protected, and education programmes may be
appropriate. Measures are needed to prevent hunting of these two species.
Barrage Mohamed V.
The Tamarix bordering the western shore provides an excellent breeding habitat for
waterbirds, and the cutting down of this vegetation is an important problem. Measures are
needed to prevent hunting of waterbirds.
Barrage El Mansour Eddahbi
Islands and other areas suitable for breeding of Ruddy Shelduck could be protected.
Measures are needed to prevent hunting of this species and of Marbled Teal.
Sidi Bou Ghaba.
Measures to reduce the very high current sedimentation rate of the wetland should be
considered. Removal of the introduced carp and other fish (e.g. using the selective fish
poison Rotenone) would increase successful breeding by waterbirds.
Mohammedia/Oued Mallah wetland
Although this site does not satisfy the criteria for Table 14, it is of great important for
breeding Marbled Teal. It is a little known wetland that may well prove to satisfy the Key
Site criteria on further study. It requires strict protection and an education programme to
obtain the support of the local population. It is important to carry out the ongoing mosquito
control in the area using methods sensitive to the high value of this ecosystem.
(note added in August 2000: this wetland has already been destroyed, M. Thevenot in litt.
2000).
13.3 Ramsar sites
29
All the sites in Table 14 (except SBG and AFE) and Mohammedia/Oued Mallah are strong
candidates for designation as Ramsar sites. The other sites listed in section 5 also qualify
for designation.
13.4 Wetland inventories
In the list of SIBEs identified by the Moroccan authorities to prioritise future conservation
measures (Table 14), we suggest it would be appropriate to include all those sites from
Table 14 as priority 1. In particular, Dayet Aoua should be listed as priority 1 owing to its
enormous value for Crested Coot and Marbled Teal, its high diversity of other aquatic
species (Fig. 1) and the highly fragile nature of its ecosystem.
13.5 Monitoring programmes
All the sites identified in section 5 should ideally be surveyed at least once per year during
the breeding season for threatened waterfowl, as well as during the midwinter census.
Many of these sites are still poorly known, and it is particularly important to do further
breeding surveys at BAM, BOU, MOV, SMO1 and Mohammedia/Oued Mallah. Barrage
Abdelkarim El Khattabi, Barrage d'Achbarou and wetlands near the Oued Bou Issafene
require special attention to clarify their value for threatened species.
If possible, sites known to be important for Marbled Teal (section 5) should be surveyed
regularly to coincide with the national surveys conducted three times a year in Andalucía
and the rest of Spain (late April, late June, late October, Green & Navarro 1997), to allow
co-ordinated monitoring of this species in both countries.
Owing to the importance of centralising census information on Moroccan waterbirds in one
place, birdwatchers are encouraged to pass their count data to the Groupe d’Ornithologie du
Maroc for incorporation into their annual Chronique Ornithologique published in
Porphyrio. The contact address is: Secrétariat du GOMAC, Faculté des Sciences de
Meknes, BP 4010 Beni M’Hamed, 50.003 Meknes, Morocco. Andy Green would also be
very grateful to receive details of any observations of the threatened species covered in this
report.
13.6 Research programmes
Detailed research on the ecological requirements of threatened species is an essential aid to
effective conservation programmes, since it identifies the detailed factors limiting
population size and distribution (Green 1996). Particular progress has been made in recent
years in our understanding of the ecology of the Marbled Teal (Green 1998a,b,c; 1999).
This has allowed us to produce detailed recommendations for habitat management for this
species. However, there is still little information available about the breeding ecology and
diet of this species in Morocco. A detailed study could be made at Mohammedia, the only
site where large numbers of broods can be observed together.
30
The ecology of the Ruddy Shelduck is almost unknown, anywhere in its extensive range. A
detailed research programme into breeding ecology, foraging ecology, migration,
populatino dynamics etc is required. A ringing programme should be initiated that allows
the monitoring of movements between sites, mortality rates, pairing behaviour etc.
Although we have made an initial study of the ecology of Crested Coot in Morocco, a
detailed comparative study of habitat selection, breeding ecology and diet of this species
and the Common Coot is required. A marking programme with neck collars could be used
to study movements between different Moroccan wetlands.
14. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many people have contributed to this study and we apologise to anyone we have forgotten
to mention. This study was funded by the Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de
Andalucía with Interreg funding. Mustapha El Hamzaoui (of the Centre National de la
Recherche Forestiere, Rabat until 1998), Gustavo Ballesteros, Juan Carlos Blanco, Hector
Garrido and Daniel G. Levassor participated in the censuses and the rest of the study. M.
Maghnouj of CNRF helped us to plan the project and arrange research permits. Thank you
to Simon Delany, Paul Rose, Val Taylor and Cecilia Reyes of Wetlands International who
kindly provided data from the International Waterbird Census. We are indebted to all those
people who provided unpublished information (most are cited in Table 14 or in the text).
Chris Bowden (RSPB), Jacques Franchimont (GOMAC), Chris Magin (BirdLife) and José
Antonio Torres provided us with details of how to locate some of the wetlands. Veronique
Levassor and Christian Perennou translated the summary into French. Charina Canas
compiled the data on observations of marked Glossy Ibis. Fernando Hiraldo, Kate and
Dieter Hoffman, Diego de Jerez and Rosario Pintos provided varied support. Simon Delany
provided helpful comments on an earlier draft of this report. We dedicate this report to
Morocco's wetlands and the people who live around them.
31
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Table 1. Status and total counts of waterbird species
NOMBRE VULGAR
NOMBRE LATINO
Zampullín Chico
Somormujo Lavanco
Zampullín Cuellinegro
Cormorán Grande
Avetorillo
Martinete
Garcilla Cangrejera
Garcilla Bueyera
Garceta Común
Garza Real
Garza Imperial
Cigueña Común
Morito
Espátula
Flamenco
Tarro Canelo
Anade Silbón
Anade Friso
Cerceta Común
Anade Real
Anade Rabudo
Cerceta Carretona
Pato Cuchara
Cerceta Pardilla
Pato Colorado
Porrón Común
Porrón Pardo
Porrón Moñudo
Malvasía Cabeciblanca
Aguilucho Lagunero
Aguila Pescadora
Rascón
Polla de Agua
Calamón
Focha Común
Focha Cornuda
Ostrero Común
Cigueñuela
Avoceta
Chorlitejo Chico
Chorlitejo Grande
Chorlitejo Patinegro
Chorlito Gris
Avefría
Correlimos Gordo
Correlimos Tridáctilo
Correlimos Menudo
Correlimos de Temminck
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Podiceps cristatus
Podiceps nigricollis
Phalacrocorax carbo
Ixobrychus minutus
Nycticorax nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ciconia ciconia
Plegadis falcinellus
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicopterus ruber
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas penelope
Anas strepera
Anas crecca
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya fuligula
Oxyura leucocephala
Circus aeruginosus
Pandion haliaetus
Rallus aquaticus
Gallinula chloropus
Porphyrio porphyrio
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Haematopus ostralegus
Recurvirostra avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Charadrius hiaticula
Charadrius alexandrinus
Pluvialis squatarola
Vanellus vanellus
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris teminckii
LR
EE
EM
R
I
R
E
V
D
V
V
V
E
V
R
E
V
V
D
E
L
V
V
R
V
V
E
R
E
D
V
E
V
V
E
V
E
E
E
R
V
R
E
R
E
R
K
L
K
D
L
35
1% CRIT
1997
1999
>1000
1500
1000
1000
>250
1500
>100
2400
1250
4500
>100
850
325
100
800
25
5600
1000
10500
10000
12000
20000
4500
30
250
10000
100
6000
7
NA
NA
>1000
>10000
>100
20000
<100
9000
400
700
>1000
500
700
1500
20000
5000
1000
2100
895
436
173
26
0
2
35
1932
906
577
8
103
87
99
254
1240
30
276
371
2994
567
2
2327
1877
89
1547
27
106
0
38
13
5
341
10
13746
3475
1
1332
288
12
275
1000
22
167
0
4
473
0
471
453
66
32
7
37
42
1711
346
107
33
239
17
573
1817
1361
0
312
0
4379
10
2
56
1049
643
766
3
0
0
15
5
1
217
41
14839
2623
87
2161
809
185
1135
959
159
0
240
16
824
1
NOMBRE VULGAR
NOMBRE LATINO
Correlimos Zarapitín
Correlimos Común
Combatiente
Agachadiza Común
Aguja Colinegra
Aguja Colipinta
Zarapito Trinador
Zarapito Picofino
Zarapito Real
Archibebe Común
Archibebe Oscuro
Archibebe Claro
Andarríos Grande
Andarríos Bastardo
Andarríos Chico
Vuelvepiedras
Gaviota Reidora
Gaviota de Audouin
Gaviota Sombria
Gaviota Patiamarilla
Gaviotas sin identificar
Charrán Bengalés
Pagaza Picuirroja
Charrán Patinegro
Charrán Común
Charrancito
Fumarel Cariblanco
Fumarel Común
Fumareles sin identificar
Pagaza Piconegra
Canastera
Martín Pescador
Patos sin identificar
Limícolas sin ident.
Laridos sin identificar
Aves sin identificar
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Philomachus pugnax
Gallinago gallinago
Limosa limosa
Limosa lapponica
Numenius phaeopus
Numenius tenuirostris
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa erythropus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa ochropus
Tringa glareola
Actitis hypoleucos
Arenaria interpres
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus fuscus
Larus cachinnans
Larus sp.
Sterna bengalensis
Sterna caspia
Sterna sandvicensis
Sterna hirundo
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
Chlidonia niger
Chlidonia sp.
Glareola pranticola
Alcedo atthis
LR
EE
EM
V
K
V
L
K
R
NA
D
D
CR
D
R
R
R
L
CD
1% CRIT
1997
1999
4500
14000
>10000
20000
3500
1000
6500
3
3500
1500
1200
>1000
>1000
>10000
>10000
700
>1000
400
2500
3500
25
126
222
9
1497
1
1
0
114
741
0
27
11
3
18
9
728
258
21
526
1401
1
0
22
2
1
4
21
103
0
0
8
100
7936
0
300
457
934
318
0
1389
122
9
0
1
257
10
14
0
32
47
0
315
93
0
1164
0
12
1
800
20
752
132
271
0
435
97
0
1
11221
500
0
R
R
V
E
D
D
D
40
60
1500
1800
340
250
2000
V
V
K
E
E
D
120
>100
NA
E
D
36
Table 1. Wetland bird species included in this study, their conservation status and a summary of our results.
LR :- conservation status in Spain according to the Spanish Red Data Book (Blanco & Gonzalez 1992).
EE :- conservation status in Europe according to Tucker & Heath (1994).
EM :- global status according to Collar et al. (1994) and Callaghan et al. (in prep.) and identified using the latest
IUCN criteria (IUCN 1994).
1% CRIT :- 1% level for use in Ramsar criterion 3c for identifying wetlands of international importance, as cited
by Rose & Scott (1997).
1997 :- total count for each species in the Moroccan wetlands surveyed in October 1997.
1999 :- total count for each species in the Moroccan wetlands surveyed in May-June 1999.
Criteria listed are as follows:
CR :- Critically Endangered
E :- Endangered
V :- Vulnerable
R :- Rare
D :- Declining
L :- Localized
CD :- Conservation Dependent
I :- Indeterminate
K :- Insufficiently known
NA :- Not Appropriate
37
Table 2. Details of wetlands visited during this study
WETLAND
CODE
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE AREA
Aguelmane Abekhane/Baghane
Aguelmam Afenourir
Bge. Al Massira
Marais Bas Loukkos
Bge. Ouarzazate
Bge. Taghdoute
Bge. Youssef Ben Tachfine
Pond between Bargha and Halloufa
Dayat Afougha
Dayat Aaoua
Dayat al Hachlaf
Dayat Ifrah
Embouchure de l'Oued Massa
Embouchure de l'Oued Souss
Barrage Idriss Premier
Imouzzer
Lac Iseli
Salinas at Sebkhet Sidi Bou Areg
Sidi Mamoun
Merja Bargha
Barrage Machra Hommadi
Merja Halloufa
Merja Melah
Merja Oulad Skher
Moulouya Delta
Barrage Mohamed V
Oued Massa
Plan d'eau d'Ifrane
Dayet Roureg
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Aguelmam Sidi Ali
Salines de Lixus
Charca en Sidi Moussa
El Hotba
Lago al sur del Hotba
Oualidia
Sebkhet Zima
Aguelmam Tghalouine
Aguelmam Tifounassine
Lac Tislit
Tnine-Gharbia
Plan d'eau Zerrouka
Dayet Iffer
ABA
AFE
BAM
BLO
BOU
BTA
BYB
CBA
DAF
DAO
DHA
DIF
EMA
ESO
IDR
IMO
ISE
KAR
MAM
MBA
MHA
MHL
MME
MOS
MOU
MOV
OMA
PDI
ROU
SBG
SID
SLI
SMO1
SMO1
SMO1
SMO2
SZI
TGH
TIF
TIS
TNG
ZER
32º40'
33º16'50''
32º29'12''
35º09'15''
30º57'46''
30º37'24''
29º46'26''
34º59'07''
33º37'
33º39'20''
33º32'48''
33º33'45''
30º03'22''
30º21'02''
34º06'21''
33º40'59''
32º13'11''
35º06'49''
33º39'04''
35º01'18''
34º44'17''
34º57'53''
34º52'21''
35º03'10''
35º07'18''
34º37'35''
29º55'38''
33º32'
34º49'18''
34º14'18''
33º04'34''
35º12'
32º59'49''
32º55'30''
32º55'02''
32º46'58''
32º04'38''
33º23'18''
33º09'15''
32º11'42''
32º35'03''
33º32'39''
33º36'
05º32'
05º15'
07º34'24''
06º06'30''
06º45'26''
07º18'5''
09º28'29''
06º14'13''
04º53'
05º02''
05º00'01''
04º55'45''
09º39'18''
09º34'36''
04º34'54''
05º01'34''
05º32'58''
02º44'36''
04º58'05
06º12'58''
02º49'40''
06º14'53''
06º15'13''
06º12'32''
02º20'10''
02º56'07''
09º39'37''
05º06'
06º18'06''
06º40'23''
05º00'13''
06º07'
08º43'45''
08º48'32''
08º49'01''
08º58'35''
08º38'56''
05º05'36''
05º05'30''
05º38'22''
08º52'20''
05º05'38''
04º55'
38
Cond 97 Cond 99
30
60
220
3
5
50
0
100
221
80
2
260
570
4,5
0,17
1,33
1,9
7,8
1,8
0,18
1,37
1,1
1,27
0,6
0,54
1,6
0,5
0,83
0,74
23-101
0,54
1,04
0,54
0,42
0,96
7,4
2,5
167
0,55
0,55
1,7
89
0,45
2,5-26,1 8,2-52,2
1,55
5,2
20
157
150
15
13-20
1,1-1,6
51
4
21
10
5,1-120
2
40
15
400
5
35
83
0
5
5
13-29
1,4
60-180
14
23
10
92
1,2
1,4
1,4
0,53
0,91
0,47
Table 2. Details of wetlands visited during the current study, showing code used in other
tables, latitude (N) and longitude (W), area in May 1999 (ha) and Conductivity (mS) in
October 1997 and May-June 1999.
Table 3. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, Feb-Mar 1995
ESPECIE
Tachybap. ruficollis
Podiceps cristatus
Phalacroc carbo
Nyctic. nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ciconia ciconia
Grus grus
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicop. ruber
Tadorna tadorna
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas penelope
Anas strepera
Anas crecca
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Marm. angustirostris
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya collaris
Aythya marila
Aythya fuligula
Circus aeruginosus
Gallinula chloropus
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Calidris spp.
Philomach. pugnax
Gallinago gallinago
Limosa limosa
SBG Feb
30
14
1
14
Dia
Feb
16
SBG Mar
19
11
7
11
3
OMA
EMA
SZI
SMO
TOT Mar
2
163
720
5
1
86
4
4
125
3
350
21
11
7
11
3
1
51
19
13
48
12
11
112
97
1
5
36
20
43
76
325
16
1176
122
51
2
1
1
97
10
9
110
44
263
735
5
2
86
4
4
150
3
375
150
3
270
160
3
300
1
25
3
33
1
1
19
11
3
47
50
8
10
1
12
6
35
24
70
30
15
25
2
5
27
40
1
5
70
15
187
76
35
2
2170
105
161
4
1
1
8
12
3
5
80
5
21
21
21
21
14
21
23
15
30
8
24
47
9
4
287
35
35
1
1
8
8
6
12
6
7
8
1
54
10
16
2
89
1
9
105
5
22
8
8
35
300
11
800
77
1
5
44
15
100
15
1
25
25
10
20
15
10
30
23
30
39
Table 3. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, Feb-Mar 1995
ESPECIE
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa ochropus
Tringa erythropus
Arenaria interpres
Actitis hypoleucos
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus genei
Larus cachinnans
Sterna sandvicensis
Chlidonia hybridus
Alcedo atthis
TOTAL AVES
Dia, feb-mar 95
SBG Feb
Dia
Feb
6
1
2
21
21
21
SBG Mar
OMA
EMA
2
1
SZI
SMO
50
4
2
45
25
TOT Mar
18
106
5
18
158
6
24
9
28
9
10
7
2
14
47
2
50
61
4
1
5050
21
4
16
50
40
49
1
6
4
1
14
1
3312
818
329
192
290
3421
12-23 Feb
12-13 M 5-6 Mar 5-7 Mar 7-8 Mar 8-11 Mar
55
Table 3. Results of waterbird surveys in Morocco, February-March 1995
See Table 2 for wetlands corresponding to each site code. Sidi Bou Ghaba (SBG) was counted twice.
DiaFeb = day in February when peak count of that species was made at SBG (12 Feb when blank).
TOT Mar = total counts in March for each species.
Counters: Andy Green and Daniel G. Levassor.
40
Table 4. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, October 1997, part I
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Phalacroc carbo
Nyctic. nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ciconia ciconia
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicop. ruber
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas penelope
Anas strepera
Anas crecca
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya fuligula
Circus aeruginosus
Pandion haliaetus
Rallus aquaticus
Gallinula chloropus
Porphyrio porphyrio
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Haemat. ostralegus
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Char. alexandrinus
Vanellus vanellus
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Philomach. pugnax
KAR MOU MHA MOV PDI
13
38
15
26
2
75
31
36
7
16
5
6
17
82
10
1
15
15
7
9
19
ZER
1
DAO DIF
6
41
DHA DAF AFE
86
7
5
1
10
2
11 1250
3
30
2
10
4
70
31
2
2
1
1
1
1
TIF
SID
130
14
50
16
6
30
2
2
1
14
3
6
4
650
2
70
174
1
45
2
59
5
70
1
42
5
1
61
1
25
20
3
1
1
2
1
3
4
3
2
85
2
61
30
145
35
17
2
6
1
13 1070
13
1
90
1
4
2
1
10
4
291 5024
5
222
1
700
4
6
1
134
320
1
3
10
120
1
2
20
55
13
3
19
665
505
8
1
23
33
2
25
1
3
18
13
4
90
48
4
10
43
1
1
6
18
458
241
147
195
1
10
9
343
188
1
1
50
48
52
62
462
13
2
5
28
1
781
88
Table 4. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, October 1997, part I
ESPECIE
Gallinago gallinago
Limosa limosa
Limosa lapponica
Numen. phaeopus
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa ochropus
Tringa glareola
Actitis hypoleucos
Arenaria interpres
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus fuscus
Larus cachinnans
Larus sp.
Sterna bengalensis
Sterna sandvicensis
Sterna hirundo
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
Chlidonia niger
Chlidonia sp.
Alcedo atthis
TOTAL AVES
COBERTURA (%)
DIA (DE OCT 97)
KAR MOU MHA MOV PDI
3
180
ZER
DAO DIF
42
DHA DAF AFE
TIF
SID
2
1
8
68
1
11
2
1
3
1
4
6
3
1
10
2
36
23
1
80
1
300
13
2
50
2
1
1
3
1
50
726
70
2
767
60
3
496 6506
90
10
4
5
52
100
8
1
102 2740
100
90
8
8
458
100
9
660
90
9
35 2807 1224 1069
100
90 100
80
9
10
11
11
Table 4. Results of waterbird surveys in Morocco, October 1997, part I
See Table 2 and text for details of each site. COBERTURA: approximate proportion of the
wetland which was surveyed accurately.
Counters for all sites: Andy Green and Gustavo Ballesteros.
Table 5. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, October 1997, part II
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Phalacroc carbo
Nyctic. nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ciconia ciconia
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicop. ruber
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas penelope
Anas strepera
Anas crecca
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya fuligula
Circus aeruginosus
Pandion haliaetus
Rallus aquaticus
Gallinula chloropus
Porphyrio porphyrio
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Haemat. ostralegus
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Char. alexandrinus
Vanellus vanellus
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Philomach. pugnax
ABA BAM SBG
78
18
10
1
2
12
20
30
173
MBA MHL BLO SLI
127
33
267
100
2
1
4
30
25
3
20
45
340
10
10
6
9
50
74
5
20
1
13
90
60
3
88
2
26
338
12
1
353
18
1
188
5
5
18
30
78
29
33
150
70
30
1
1
8
4
185
97
5
209
266
1
57
13
1
2
5
2
82
3
153
1
1
40
50
1
2
7
77
5
66
183
10
5
1
11 120
3
45 1932 1227
557 396
54
36
10
8
785
1
30
23
15
17
8
1
12
5
5
20
5
300
70
400
63
1
61
1
400
1
500
1420
1
3
20
24
60
37
100
70
66
150
25
60
4
3
2
5
56
1738
39
93
270
450
40
112
27
7
100
100
20
15
30
80
221
21
13
5
5 124
1226
42
40
24
48
1
19
324
16
10
16
135
25
70
3
BTA BOU
125
130
150
155
27
31
10
TNG SZI
25
10
4
25
4
SMO
43
530
100
200
200
1
5
50
90
1
50
200
20
20
50
50
50
20
Table 5. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, October 1997, part II
ESPECIE
Gallinago gallinago
Limosa limosa
Limosa lapponica
Numen. phaeopus
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa ochropus
Tringa glareola
Actitis hypoleucos
Arenaria interpres
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus fuscus
Larus cachinnans
Larus sp.
Sterna bengalensis
Sterna sandvicensis
Sterna hirundo
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
Chlidonia niger
Chlidonia sp.
Alcedo atthis
Aves sin identificar
TOTAL DE AVES
COBERTURA (%)
DIA (DE OCT 97)
ABA BAM SBG
2
MBA MHL BLO SLI
15
70
SMO
150
TNG SZI
4
380
700
105
350
50
44
BTA BOU
1
1
18
150
5
100
2
2
30
31
5
1
3
1
1
423
19
11
60
2
20
150
1
92
609
1
7
90
140
50
50
620
30
1
20
1
1
2
1
1
4
5
15
1
1
50
135
489 2805 3736 3375
95
40
90
80
12 13-14 16-19
20
880 2113 1753
90
70
60
20 20-21
21
1
16
83
1
6000 1500
300
13932 3088
20
70
23-25
25
892
90
25
300
28 1682
90
60
26
27
Table 5. Results of waterbird surveys in Morocco, October 1997, part II
See Table 2 and text for details of each site. COBERTURA: approximate proportion of the wetland which was
surveyed accurately.
Counters for 12-14 October: Andy Green and Gustavo Ballesteros.
Counters for 16-20 October: Mustapha El Hamzaoui and Andy Green.
Counters for 21-27 October: Andy Green.
Table 6. Breeding data for waterbirds in Morocco, October 1997
ESPECIE
MHA
Fulica atra
3b(6c)
Fulica cristata
DIA, OCTUBRE 1997
4
45
ZER
DAO
AFE
TIF
SBG
4b(9c)
10n+3b(8c)
1b(4c)
3n
1n+4b(8c)
8
8
Table 6. Breeding data from waterbird surveys in Morocco, October 1997
b = broods, c = chicks, n = active nest
See Table 2 and text for details of each site.
Counters: Andy Green ,Gustavo Ballesteros and Mustapha El Hamzaoui.
10
11
16-19
Table 7. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, May 1999, part I
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Phalacroc carbo
Ixobrychus minutus
Nyctic. nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ciconia ciconia
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicop. ruber
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas strepera
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya collaris
Circus aeruginosus
Pandion haliaetus
Rallus aquaticus
Gallinula chloropus
Porphyrio porphyrio
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Haemat. ostralegus
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Char. alexandrinus
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris temminckii
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Philomach. pugnax
Limosa limosa
SLI
BLO
MOS
20
14
1
9
10
5
MBA CBA
20
24
10
3
9
43
70
60
2
27
1000
100
4
4
SBG
4
10
2
4
1
1
2
230
50
6
2
6
19
113
150
30
600
2
1
8
15
250
150
4
2
20
30
250
200
3
158
30
50
254
MME ROU
10
50
14
10
130
30
1
6
2
45
3
1
20
10
45
110
180
19
1
5
130
6
8
29
53
30
40
4
2804
197
583
17
120
40
60
10
250
40
60
20
100
80
30
80
100
600
20
300
15
100
10
3
10
20
250
2
7
33
1
169
11
210
2
60
4
6
16
2
3
200
16
41
SMO1 SMO2 SZI
40
163
50
70
5
20
52
4
7
34
120
30
MHL
46
10
4
636
6
16
600
190
20
290
170
32
40
100
20
2
250
40
4
20
2
150
255
350
200
507
60
Table 7. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, May 1999, part I
ESPECIE
Limosa lapponica
Numen. phaeopus
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa erythropus
Tringa glareola
Actitis hypoleucos
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus genei
Larus cachinnans
Sterna bengalensis
Sterna caspia
Sterna sandvicensis
Sterna hirundo
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
Chlidonia niger
Glareola pranticola
TOTAL DE AVES
COBERTURA (%)
DIA, MAYO 1999
SLI
BLO
MOS
MBA CBA
MHL
MME ROU
SBG
47
SMO1 SMO2 SZI
1
1
22
1
19
4
7
31
4
10
20
6
116
10
1
20
4
25
2
14
2
25
8
20
160
100
1
500
1
6
2
2
80
8
10
4
2
20
6
701
100
7
2522
70
8
4
4506
99
8
3240
90
8
363
90
8
171
99
8
6800
7000
90
9
290
99
9
394
70
9
113
52
70
10
50
5277
80
10
200
500
4000
4955
70
11
Table 7. Results of waterbird surveys in Morocco, May 1999, part I (of III)
See Tables 2 and text for details of each site. COBERTURA: approximate proportion of the
Counters for all sites: Hector Garrido and Andy Green.
200
210
50
12
Table 8. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, May 1999, part II
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Phalacroc carbo
Ixobrychus minutus
Nyctic. nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ciconia ciconia
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicop. ruber
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas strepera
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya collaris
Circus aeruginosus
Pandion haliaetus
Rallus aquaticus
Gallinula chloropus
Porphyrio porphyrio
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Haemat. ostralegus
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Char. alexandrinus
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris temminckii
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Philomach. pugnax
Limosa limosa
ESO
EMA OMA BYB
50
17
20
3
1
14
70
3
4
5
BTA
BOU
BAM TIS
40
5
5
3
30
12
3
1
1
8
6
60
40
7
7
14
22
SID
TIF
TGH
3
6
32
47
10
20
1
4
ISE
48
2
5
7
4
17
182
16
58
205
3
3
6
2
6
1
100
27
121
281
2
17
38
60
19
60
112
50
580
1
4
70
14
2
2
109
21
1
1
18
10
1
2440
78
50
20
46
8
120
50
60
20
10
70
2
2
26
4
9
40
150
1488
12
4
90
25
400
103
60
100
2
30
1
77
1
100
20
64
7
31
65
31
8
2
13
Table 8. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, May 1999, part II
ESPECIE
Limosa lapponica
Numen. phaeopus
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa erythropus
Tringa glareola
Actitis hypoleucos
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus genei
Larus cachinnans
Sterna bengalensis
Sterna caspia
Sterna sandvicensis
Sterna hirundo
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
Chlidonia niger
Glareola pranticola
TOTAL DE AVES
COBERTURA (%)
DIA, MAYO 1999
ESO
EMA OMA BYB
20
8
1
40
4
BTA
BOU
BAM TIS
ISE
49
SID
TIF
TGH
101
2
21
3
1
1
12
110
1
50
12
25
800
20
300
10
50
20
40
10
120
60
25
1
100
2183
90
12
2733
90
13
199
40
13
26
70
14
10
95
15
20
528 3535
50
40
16 20-21
142
100
22
42
90
22
249
95
24
Table 8. Results of waterbird surveys in Morocco, May 1999, part II (of III)
Counters for 12-16 May: Hector Garrido and Andy Green.
Counters for 20-25 May: Andy Green and Juan Carlos Blanco.
1079
100
25
13
100
25
Table 9. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, May-June 1999, part III
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Phalacroc carbo
Ixobrychus minutus
Nyctic. nycticorax
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ciconia ciconia
Platalea leucorodia
Phoenicop. ruber
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas strepera
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas acuta
Anas querquedula
Anas clypeata
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya collaris
Circus aeruginosus
Pandion haliaetus
Rallus aquaticus
Gallinula chloropus
Porphyrio porphyrio
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Haemat. ostralegus
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Charadrius dubius
Char. alexandrinus
Calidris canutus
Calidris alba
Calidris minuta
Calidris temminckii
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris alpina
Philomach. pugnax
Limosa limosa
AFE
ZER
PDI
4
DAO
1
2
12
DIF
80
71
MAM IMO
8
12
IDR
50
MOV MHA MOU KAR
2
30
183
11
11
1
2
1
8
400
18
350
300
157
1
7
2
4
30
2
13
16
462
130
2
13
17
24
22
16
1
6
1
33
2
200
1109
383
240
1522
2
455
112
416
1
1
10
38
2
18
2
1
5
4
3
42
5
7
43
8
78
96
49
20
1
3
3
4
15
20
1
1487
1113
13
36
1193
878
43
7
44
119
1
11
2
20
16
11
4
16
11
4
166
22
119
30
11
42
62
3
3
30
5
3106
2
56
28
34
2
1
10
300
290
78
1
25
Table 9. Counts of waterbirds in Morocco, May-June 1999, part III
ESPECIE
Limosa lapponica
Numen. phaeopus
Numenius arquata
Tringa totanus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa erythropus
Tringa glareola
Actitis hypoleucos
Larus ridibundus
Larus audounii
Larus genei
Larus cachinnans
Sterna bengalensis
Sterna caspia
Sterna sandvicensis
Sterna hirundo
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
Chlidonia niger
Glareola pranticola
TOTAL DE AVES
COBERTURA (%)
Día, May-Jun 1999
AFE
ZER
PDI
DAO
DIF
MAM IMO
IDR
51
MOV MHA MOU KAR
1
2
30
105
56
8
201
127
29
5
2
4
1
3535
95
26
95
100
26
301
100
26
3056
95
27
202
100
28
16
100
28
64
80
28
100
484
20
28
6
40
25
323
9094
60
30
4
4
172
515
90
80
31 31/1
381
90
1 Jun
Table 9. Results of waterbird surveys in Morocco, May - June1999, part III (of III)
Counters for 30 May: Diego de Jerez, Juan Carlos Blanco and Andy Green.
Counters for other dates: Andy Green and Juan Carlos Blanco.
Tables 10-11. Breeding data for waterbirds in Morocco, May-June 1999
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Ardeola ralloides
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta garzetta
Anas platyrhynchos
Netta rufina
Circus aeruginosus
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Himant. Himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Char. Alexandrinus
Larus cachinnans
Sterna albifrons
Chlidonia hybridus
DIA, MAYO 1999
SLI
BLO
MOS
1b(6c)
3b(11c)
2p
MBA
1b(10c)
26n
¿n?
500n
20p
1b(2c)
1b(6c)
ROU
SBG
SMO1
2b(11c)
3b(18c)
52
SMO2
2p
1b(4c)
3b(6c)
25p
10p
15n
15p
200p
50p
40p
30p
100p
3p
7
8
8
8
9
Table 10. Breeding data from waterbird surveys in Morocco, May 1999, part I (of III).
b = broods, c = chicks, n = active nest, p = actively breeding pairs (with nests and/or chicks).
Counters: Hector Garrido and Andy Green.
9
10
11
Tables 10-11. Breeding data for waterbirds in Morocco, May-June 1999
ESPECIE
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas platyrhynchos
Gallinula chloropus
Fulica atra
Fulica cristata
Himant. Himantopus
Char. Alexandrinus
DIA, MAYO 1999
ESPECIE
Podiceps cristatus
Bubulcus ibis
Tadorna ferruginea
Anas platyrhynchos
Fulica atra
Himant. himantopus
Recurvir. avosetta
Char. alexandrinus
Día, May-Jun 1999
EMA
OMA
BAM
SID
TIF
AFE
53
ZER
33c
4b(45c)
1b(9c)
4b(8p)
1b(2c)
6b(11c)
7n
5n
2b(5c)
13
20-21
13
PDI
6b(19c)
2b(12c)
2b(5c)
7b(22c)+4n
8n
24
DAO
MAM
IMO
4n
26n
2n
2n
25
MOV
26
MHA
26
MOU
KAR
1b(3c)
150n
1b(2c)
2b(3c)
1b(5c)
18n
2b(8c)
1b(8c)
1b(2c)
3c+30n
1c+20n
1b(2c)
40n
26
27
28
28
30
31
31/1 jun
Table 11. Breeding data from waterbird surveys in Morocco, May-June 1999, part II and III (of III).
b = broods, c = chicks, n = active nest, p = actively breeding pairs (with nests and/or chicks).
Counters 13 May: Hector Garrido and Andy Green.
Counters 30 May: Diego de Jerez, Juan Carlos Blanco and Andy Green.
Counters other dates: Andy Green and Juan Carlos Blanco.
1-jun
Table 12. Threatened waterbird counts made by other observers
WETLAND
CODE
DATE
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Afenourir
Bas Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Bas Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Bas Loukkos
Bas Loukkos
Oued Loukkos
Barrage Ouarzazate
Barrage Ouarzazate
Barrage Ouarzazate
Barrage Ouarzazate
Barrage Ouarzazate
Barrage Ouarzazate
Barrage Ouarzazate
Bge. Taghdoute
Barrage Youssef Ben
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Aoua
Dayet Ifrah
Oued Souss
Oued Souss
Oued Souss
Oued Souss
Oued Souss
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
AFE
29/07/94
6/05/95
12/03/98
25/03/98
23/04/98
25/05/98
24/06/98
23/07/98
23/10/98
1/08/84
17
25/12/90
2
Apr 91
21/11/91
10/01/92
75
5/04/92
22
25/01/94
8
12/02/94
2
1/11/95
3
6/01/97
27/02/99
3/04/99
30/12/90
20/04/92
aug 1993
9/02/95
4
24/03/96
5
29/03/97
160
19/04/97
255
31/07/94
9/01/97 700
15/04/86
26/12/90
28/07/94
4/03/97
3/03/99 1200
1/04/99 1200
5/04/99 1200
7/04/99 300
5/10/99 252
28/02/95
23/03/92
18/02/99
22/02/99
3/04/99
3
5/04/99
2
31/12/93
22/01/94
AFE
AFE
AFE
AFE
AFE
AFE
AFE
AFE
BLO
BLO
BLO
BLO
BLO/SLI
BLO/SLI
BLO
BLO/SLI
BLO
BLO
BLO
BLO
BOU
BOU
BOU
BOU
BOU
BOU
BOU
BTA
BYB
DAO
DAO
DAO
DAO
DAO
DAO
DAO
DAO
DAO
DIF
ESO
ESO
ESO
ESO
ESO
MBA
MBA
Maran Fulcr Tadfe Aytny Plefa
45
21
33
65
54
NOTES
57
169
174
122
78
115
77
356
374
5 breeding prs Tadfe
3 breeding prs Tadfe
includes 1 chick
15
6
100
500
610
3 nesting pairs
26
16
252
665
30
4
45
2
6
12
35
500
31
Fulcr nesting
6
15
23
400
7 birds breeding
Exact date uncertain
1200-1300 Maran
3
40
2
7
2
27
90
12
4
FU
13
13
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
43
42
46
36
36
29
34
36
13
25
36
23
42
5
24
3
11
11
8
13
17
32
42
13
22
48
2
23
31
7
13
11
36
36
33
45
12
34
WETLAND
CODE
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
Merja Barga
M. Barga/Halloufa
Merja Halloufa
Merja Oulad Skher
Merja Oulad Skher
Merja Oulad Skher
Moulouya Delta
Moulouya Delta
Moulouya Delta
Moulouya Delta
Moulouya Delta
Moulouya Delta
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA
MBA/MHL
MHL
MOS
MOS
MOS
MOU
MOU
MOU
MOU
MOU
MOU
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA
OMA/EMA
EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA
OMA/EMA
EMA
DATE Maran Fulcr Tadfe Aytny Plefa
26/02/95
4/05/95
7/06/95
28/08/95
29/10/95
29/04/96
9/07/96
9/10/96
28/11/96
3/02/97
30/05/97
24/06/97
30/08/97
10/10/97
28/12/97
20/01/95
26/02/99
28/02/95
2/02/97
30/05/97
23/04/92
6/6/93
20/03/94
1-4/8/97
20/06/99
4-5/8/99
15/04/86
2/01/91
9/02/92
26/02/92
16/03/92
21/03/92
30/03/92
2/06/92
13/10/92
13/12/92
28/03/93
6/04/93
21/05/93
22/03/94
may-jul 94
22/03/96
25/5/96
2/01/97
26/04/97
25/07/97
24/12/97
6
6
2
2
16
57
30
12
16
6
16
55
NOTES
4
2
1
6
11
18
10
17
18
17
100
4
1
3
2
11
21
22
1 Oxy. leucocephala
1 Oxy. leucocephala
2 Oxy. jamaicensis
2
5
7
3
2
2
10
90
4
23
11
46
160
100
150
75
75
120
50
250
50
Plus 2 broods
4
1
plus 13 chicks (2br)
1
1
pair Maran with nest
1
7
50
50
1
20
7
1
1
female + 7 chicks
20
12
3
65
80
50
1
250
6 breeding pairs
1
50
1fem + 5ch
FU
13
13
13
13
13
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
25
28
36
13
14
14
5
47
12
51
15
51
32
42
27
38
11
11
21
44
30
1
11
11
9
11
19
11
49
36
8
35
35
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
WETLAND
EMA
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Oued Massa
Plan d'Eau d'Ifrane
Dayet Roureg
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
EMA
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Bou Ghaba
Sidi Ali
Sidi Ali
Sidi Ali
Sidi Ali
Sidi Moussa
Sidi Moussa (El Hotba)
Sidi Moussa/Oualidia
Sidi Moussa
Sidi Moussa (El Hotba)
Sidi Moussa
Sidi Moussa
Sidi Moussa
Sidi Moussa
Sidi Moussa/Oualidia
Sebkha Zima
Bge. Moulay Youssef
Bge. Hassan Addakhil
SBG
OMA/EMA
CODE
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
OMA/EMA
PDI
ROU
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SBG
SID
SID
SID
SID
SMO1
SMO1
SMO
SMO1
SMO1
SMO1
SMO1
SMO1
SMO1
SMO
SZI
31/12/97
10
17/03/98
4
24/10/98
25/10/98
7/12/98
17/02/99
17/02/99
22/02/99
15/04/86
23/01/94
24/12/90
24/12/91
14/04/92
24/01/94
26/07/94
1994
14/01/95
20/01/95
10/05/96
120
81
225
23
23
265
260
65
290
9
2
35
NOTES
3
14
3
44
1
46
23
17
75
47
10
4
3
6
2
5/01/97 251
5/03/97
3
Apr 1997
Jun-Jul 97
5
17/04/98
80
20/04/98
95
11/10/98
115
25/02/99
130
28/02/99
1/04/99
15
29/07/94
1/04/97
1/04/99
6/04/99
5/01/91
18
7/01/92 270
15/04/92
200
24/03/97
5
1/12/97 870
29/12/97
10
6/05/98 356
12/10/98 1190
16/1/99 400
1/03/99
73
24/03/97
4/01/97
27/12/90
80
20
11
1
78
78
10
40
60
20
1
5
170
84
110
123
16
4
2
250
11
2
56
25
36
FU
39
41
40
36
36
36
Fulcr breeding (ch) 32
34
42
16
5
34
13
2 br(10ch) 35
36
28
plus 1b(5c) Mar, 37
2b(8p)Ful
25
7 Fulcr chicks 22
female + 7 chicks 6
5 fem + 5br (38ch) 35
4 pairs Maran 35
8 pairs Fulcr nesting 35
39
36
36
20
13
22
"easter week" 2
23
42
26
5
22
35
25
10 pairs 35
39
50
35
22
25
42
Dayet Al Hafs
Dayet El Hafs
Douyiet
WETLAND
Douyiet
Douyiet
Douyiet
Lagune de Khnifiss
Lagune de Mdiq
Merja Daoura
Merja Deurassar
Merja Luxaiva
Merja Zerga
Merja Zerga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga
Mohammedia (Oued
Mallah)
Mohammedia
Oasis 15km south of Tata
Oued Bou Issafene
Oued El Ouaar
Oued Khallouf & Tahadartz
Restinga Smir
8 km west of Khemisdes Zemamra
1/12/97 150
6/05/98
36
9/06/95
4
6
10/07/97
26/12/97
3/05/98
16/10/98
11/10/98
24/01/94
22/01/94
21/03/94
24/01/94
26/02/99
28/12/90
1/02/96
15/02/96
28/03/96
11/07/96
8/11/96
25/02/97
22/04/97
7/04/99
June 99
18/03/92
25/03/92
1/04/93
8/04/93
9/01/97
15/10/98
30/12/93
1/11/95
2/3/00
2
75
56
8
2
2
10
1
81
530
39
102
120
300
3
200
220
111
5
35
no pairing 35
13
NOTES
FU
2 fem + 2br (15ch) 35
35
5 pairs 35
39
6
39
34
34
5
12
34
36
42
36
10
11
10
10
almost dry 10
8
Date for Fulcr unclear
4
80
plus 16 broods
2 pairs
2 pairs
1 pair
1 pair
3km east of mouth
4
4
2
2
550
2
5
11
180
57
4
11
11
11
11
10
39
12
13
Between Safi and El 52
Jadida
Table 12. Counts of threatened waterbirds in Morocco provided by other observers.
Maran = Marmaronetta angustirostris
Fulcr = Fulica cristata
Tadfe = Tadorna ferruginea
Aytny = Aythya nyroca
Plefa = Plegadis falcinellus
b = brood. c = chick. FU = Source of these data as given in Table 13. CODE = sitecode
used for sites visited during the current study (see Table 2)
Table 13. Sources of threatened waterbird counts made by other observers
FU
SOURCE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
A. Acha
A. Gómez in litt. 1999
A. Lawson
A. Miquet in litt. 1999
A. Onrubia in litt. 1999
British Birds 91: 41
C. Fuentes in litt. 1999
C. Kightley in litt. 1997
C. Magerc
C. Magin in litt. 1997
C. Thomas in litt. 1999
Castro & Torres 1994
D. de Jerez pers. comm.
D. Evans
D. Tomlinson in litt. 1997
E. Reyes in litt. 1999
E. Rousseau in litt. 1994
F. López in litt. 1999
F. Moffatt
F. Toepfer in litt. 1999
G. Bota in litt. 1999
Gustamante in litt. 1999
Gutiérrez et al. 1998
H. Garrido et al. pers. obs.
H. Jannes
J. Oates
J. Wiada
J. Wittenberg
J.J. Ramos in litt. 1999
J.L. Tella in litt. 1986
J.Y. Paquet in litt. 1999
L. Garcia et al. pers. obs.
M. El Hamzaoui pers. comm.
FU
58
SOURCE
36
M. Møller Hansen in litt. 1999
37 M.C. Blazquez & J.A. Mateo pers. comm.
38
O. Zeiske
39
P. Defos du Rau & M. Thibault in litt
40
P. Forsberg in litt. 1999
41
P. Tomas & C. Perennou in litt. 1999
42
R. Hofland in litt. 1999
43
R.E.F. Peal in litt. 1994
44
S. Baha El Din
45
X. Riera in litt. 1999
46
British Birds 85: 446
47
British Birds 87: 4
48
A. Rodriguez in litt. 1999
49
C. Bowden in litt. 1996
50
N. Gilissen in litt. 1999
51
D. Verstraete in litt. 1999
52
C. van Turnhout in litt. 2000
Table 13. Sources of waterbird counts provided in Table 12.
Table 14. Key sites for threatened waterbirds in Morocco
WETLAND
CODE
SIBE
THREATS
Aguelmam Afenourir
AFE
1
**
Barrage Al Massira
BAM
1
*
Marais Bas Loukkos
BLO
1
**
Barrage El Mansour Eddahbi
(Ouarzazate)
Dayat Aaoua
BOU
2
DAO
3
**
Embouchure de l'Oued Massa
EMA
1
*
Barrage Mohamed V
MOV
1
*
Sidi Bou Ghaba
SBG
1
*
Aguelmam Sidi Ali
SID
2
**
Sidi Moussa wetlands
SMO1
1
**
Sebkhet Zima
SZI
2
*
Aguelmam Tifounassine
TIF
2
**
Douyiet
1
¿?
Merzouga (Dayet Tamezguidat)
2
¿?
59
PROTECTED STATUS
Biological Reserve and Ramsar site
National Park
Biological Reserve and Ramsar site
Royal Reserve
Table 14. Key Sites for conservation of threatened waterbirds in Morocco. All these sites
regularly hold more than 10% of the estimated total population of at least one threatened
species, and regularly hold more than 1% of the population of at least one other threatened
species. 1% criteria are as follows: Marmaronetta angustirostris 30, Tadorna ferruginea
25, Aythya nyroca 100, Fulica cristata 50.
SIBE: Priority (1 = highest of three levels) in the list of Sites d’Intérêt Biologique et
Ecologique, identified and prioritised by the Moroccan Ministry of Eaux et Forets and Soil
Conservation (Dakki & El Hamzaoui 1997).
Threats:
* there are major threats to the value of this site for threatened waterbird species.
** there is great danger that the wetland will lose its value for threatened waterbirds and
other wetland species within the next decade if specific conservation measures are not
taken. These are Critically threatened Key Sites.
¿? Site not visited, and threats not assessed.
See text for further details.
Figure 1.
60
Figure 1. Relationship between conductivity (logarithmic scale) and number of species of
aquatic plants (charophytes and submerged or floating macrophytes) identified in natural or
artificial wetlands in Morocco. The wetlands identified are: 1 DAO, 2 DHA, 3 BLO, 4
AFE, 5 TIF, 6 MHA.

THREATENED WETLANDS AND WATERBIRDS IN MOROCCO: A

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