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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 IBA criteria.

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

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix	LC	breeding (1996)	3 breeding pairs	C6
Woodlark Lullula arborea	LC	breeding (1993)	10–15 breeding pairs	C6

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

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	% of IBA
military	80
agriculture	20

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) 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 16/01/2025.