• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	passage (1994–2004)	380–700 birds	C2
Black Tern Chlidonias niger	LC	breeding (1994–2004)	60–155 pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding (1994–2004)	15–30 pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (-)	20,000 birds	C4

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1957	Babītes ezers	Dabas liegums (IV)	98

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	87	Fens, transition mires and springs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater
Grassland	13	Mesophile grasslands
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)	Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes
Forest	minor (<10)	Native coniferous woodland

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	80
hunting	60
tourism/recreation	minor (<10)
agriculture	minor (<10)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Babite lake (Latvia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/babite-lake-iba-latvia on 23/12/2024.