BE025
Gebieden gelegen te Houthalen-Helchteren en Meeuwen-Gruitrode


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2000 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
Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix LC breeding (1996) 3 pairs C6
Woodlark Lullula arborea LC breeding (1993) 10–15 pairs C6

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
1988 Houthalen-Helchteren; Meeuwen-Gruitrode en Peer Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IV) 100
1990 openbaar bos Limburg Openbaar bos (VI) 4
2002 Mangelbeek en heide- en vengebieden tussen Houthalen en Gruitrode Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IV) 86
2002 Vallei van de Abeek Erkend natuurreservaat (IV) 1

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Shrubland 70 Heathland
Artificial/Terrestrial 25 Arable land; Forestry plantations
Forest 5 Broadleaved deciduous woodland
Wetlands (inland) 5 Fens, transition mires and springs

Land use

Land use % of IBA
military 80
agriculture 20


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gebieden gelegen te Houthalen-Helchteren en Meeuwen-Gruitrode (Belgium). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gebieden-gelegen-te-houthalen-helchteren-en-meeuwen-gruitrode-iba-belgium on 24/12/2024.