PL081
Rakutowskie swamps


Country/territory: Poland

IBA criteria met: C1, C2, C3 (2010)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 4,395 ha

Ogólnopolskie Towarzystwo Ochrony Ptaków
IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent) State (condition) Pressure (threat) Response (action)
2010 near favourable very high medium
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here


Site description (2000 baseline)
The site covers Rakutowskie lake (c.300 ha) and the surrounding, periodically flooded sedge meadows, as well as adjoining wet riverine forest and carr. The eastern part of the site includes a wet area of the K³ótnia river with overgrown peat-workings. Rakutowskie lake is rather shallow (average 2.5 m) with a flat shore fringed by a broad belt (100-150 m) of marginal vegetation. Due to (relatively small) water-level fluctuations, the lake area can vary by up to 60-70 ha. Floating and submerged vegetation is rich and a large part of the lake bottom is covered by stonewort Chara.

Key biodiversity
More than 20,000 waterbirds use the area in winter, and notable numbers (peak daily counts exceeding 10,000 birds) stage during autumn migration, mainly Anser, Anas, Vanellus vanellus, Larus and waders Charadrii. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (one pair), Crex crex (1-2 calling males), Acrocephalus paludicola (one singing male).


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rakutowskie swamps. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rakutowskie-swamps-iba-poland on 19/03/2024.