Saturday, September 27, 2008

Urban Sites Are Important for Birds, Too

BirdLife has just announced an urban nature reserve in Argentina as an Important Bird Area.

The reserve comprises 350 hectares of lagoons and pampas vegetation and is home to over 300 species of birds. It was founded in 1985 and one million visitors each year enjoy walking its paths and watching the wildlife.

“Urban nature reserves provide an essential link between birds and people. They are the only contact that many people get with the natural world and for cities such as Buenos Aires, this is especially true”, said Andrés Bosso, CEO of Aves Argentinas (BirdLife in Argentina). “Many of these reserves are also designated IBAs for their importance for birds and biodiversity.”

The concentrations of ducks, swans and other waterbirds at the reserve are world-famous. For most birdwatchers visiting Argentina, Costanera Sur is their first taste of the country´s wonderful birdlife.
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are sites that provide habitat for globally significant numbers of birds, for breeding, migration, or wintering. Urban IBAs are relatively rare, but those that exist are a testament to the remarkable biodiversity that can exist within a city if its natural resources are maintained.