Data Zone
Country/territory: Bosnia and Herzegovina
IBA criteria met: B1a, B3a (2018)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 6,012 ha
Site description (2018 baseline)
Gatačko polje is a flooded karst polje that is a part of Trebišnjica river basin, with a potential flood zone of 38,17 km2. It is 11.5 km long and 6.5 km wide. In economic sense polje is mostly used for livestock grazing.
Main kastic phenomena are Gareva cave and meanders of temporal karstic streams.
Key biodiversity
In ornithological sense this polje is most valuable for the presence of migratory flocks of cranes Grus grus and lapwings Vanellus vanellus. Breeders include Bird Directive Annex I species, Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria. Two species of fish, 129 species of fish and 20 species of dragonflies have been recorded in this polje. Floristic value of Gatačko polje is demonstrated through 274 species of recorded plants. Plants are additionally forming 11 vegetation types, from wetland vegetation types of Caricetalia fuscae, Illyrian Molinietums from the order Trifolio-Hordeetalia, to the termophyle meadows Brometalia erecti. Most important bird habitats are dry grasslands and all types of occasionally or permanently flooded grasslands, peat and boggy wetlands and complexes of reed and rush that thrive in shallow natural water puddles.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gatačko polje (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gatačko-polje-iba-bosnia-and-herzegovina on 23/11/2024.