Site description (2000 baseline)
The Ostrówek and Smogulec fish-pond complexes and adjoining wet meadows (Osieckie) in the Noteæ river valley, 45-49 km west of Bydgoszcz. The 35 ponds comprise c.500 ha of water and are full (1 m deep) from April to October when fish (carp Cyprinus) are being farmed. Large areas of the ponds are covered with beds of reed Phragmites and reed-mace Typha. The meadows are covered with canals and ditches; they are not intensively used, and succession to willow Salix scrub is occurring in some parts.
Key biodiversity
A total of 154 species have been recorded, including 38 breeding and 65 migrating waterbirds. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (recently extinct here), Haliaeetus albicilla (one pair). A wide variety of raptors, which breed in the surrounding area, forage at the site.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ostrówek and Smogulec ponds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ostrówek-and-smogulec-ponds-iba-poland on 19/03/2024.