Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2002 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):| Species | Current IUCN Red List Category | Season | Year(s) | Population estimate at site | IBA criteria met |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | LC | winter | 1995 | 870 individuals | A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6 |
| Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus | LC | passage | 1995 | 600 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Bean Goose Anser fabalis | LC | winter | 1995 | 10,000 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | LC | passage | 1995 | 15,000 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca | NT | breeding | 1995 | 2 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata | LC | passage | 1997 | 2,000 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Corncrake Crex crex | LC | breeding | 1997 | 2-6 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Little Crake Zapornia parva | LC | breeding | 2001 | 1 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Common Crane Grus grus | LC | passage | 1995 | 5,000 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2, C6 |
| White Stork Ciconia ciconia | LC | breeding | 1995 | 20-25 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris | LC | breeding | 1995 | 2-6 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus | LC | breeding | 2001 | 1 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria | LC | passage | 1997 | 4,000 individuals | C6 |
| Ruff Calidris pugnax | LC | passage | 1995 | 300 individuals | C6 |
| Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola | LC | passage | 1995 | 40 individuals | C6 |
| Black Tern Chlidonias niger | LC | breeding | 2001 | 5 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | breeding | 2001 | 6 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus | LC | resident | - | 1 breeding pairs | C6 |
| White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla | LC | breeding | 2001 | 1 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis | LC | breeding | 2001 | 5-7 breeding pairs | C6 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | passage | 1995-1997 | 26,940 individuals | A4iii, C4 |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2002).
| Protected area (PA) | PA designation | PA area (ha) | Relationship of PA with IBA | Overlap of PA with IBA (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wittenberge-Rühstädter Elbniederung | Naturschutzgebiet | 2,124 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Unteres Elbtal | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 53,220 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Niedersächsische Mittelelbe | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 34,010 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Garbe-Alandniederung | Nature Reserve | 1,934 | protected area contained by site | 1,934 |
| Flusslandschaft Elbe | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 374,432 | protected area contains site | 4,234 |
| Elbeniederung zwischen Schnackenburg und Geesthacht | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 22,654 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Elbe | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 1,322 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Elbauen, Schnackenburg-Lauenburg | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 7,560 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Elbaue Beuster-Wahrenberg | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 2,919 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,726 |
| Eibaue Beuster-Wahrenberg | Nature Reserve | 2,128 | protected area overlaps with site | 2,091 |
| Brandenburgische Elbtalaue | Landschaftschutzgebiet | 53,343 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
| Aland-Elbe-Niederung und Elbaue Jerichow | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 8,605 | protected area contains site | 4,234 |
| Aland-Elbe-Niederung nördlich Seehausen | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 2,573 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,828 |
| Aland-Elbe-Niederung | Naturschutzgebiet | 6,009 | protected area contains site | 0 |
| Aland-Elbe-Niederung | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 5,123 | protected area contains site | 3,751 |
| Aland-Elbe-Niederung | Landschaftschutzgebiet | 17,837 | protected area overlaps with site | 3,746 |
| Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Alluvial and very wet forest | - |
| Shrubland | Scrub | - |
| Grassland | Humid grasslands, Mesophile grasslands | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs | - |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Highly improved re-seeded landscapes, Arable land, Ruderal land | - |
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| forestry | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
| water management | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Aland-Elbe lowlands. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/aland-elbe-lowlands-iba-germany on 03/12/2023.
