Data Zone
Country/territory: Estonia
IBA criteria met: B1i, B2 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 5,735 ha
Site description (baseline)
A complex of shallow (<2 m), relict lakes and vast reedbeds along the southern coast of Saaremaa island. Mud is extracted from Mullutu and Suurlaht lakes for its curative properties. The main economic activities are fishing, reed-cutting (`Other' land-use, below) and hunting.
Key biodiversity
The area is an important staging area for migrating Anser anser and Grus grus and a notable breeding area for several waterbirds. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Grus grus (10 pairs), Larus minutus (50 pairs), Chlidonias niger (20 pairs).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Relict lakes of southern Saaremaa. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/280 on 10/06/2023.
