Current view: Text account
Site description (2018 baseline):
Site location and context
Kupreško polje is located N of Duvanjsko pilje and E of Livanjsko and Glamočko poljes. It is 25 km long and up to 10 wide. It is surrounded by mild slopes of Cincar, Vitorog, Plazenica and Raduša mountains. Relief of Kupreško polje is a typical karst relied with hydrographic structures of the underground rivers and dolinas. Kupreško polje’s flood area is around 36,22 km2 and hydrographically it is a part of Cetina and Pliva river basins. There are a several streams that flow through the polje and sink underground at its end. Three permanent lakes are Kukavičko, Turjača and Rastičevsko lakes. It is believed that the lakes have glacial origin.
In sense of karst there are complex of four karst dolinas close to Rastičevo village and meandering Milač river.
Cultural and historic legacy includes prehistoric dwelling, tumulas and stečki tombs. Tumulas are earth made mounds, considered to be about 4.000 years old. About 90 of them have been registered on Kupreško polje so far.
Until now 134 bird species have been recorded on Kupreško polje. Important breeding species include: Montague’s Harrier Circus pygargus and Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, while during migration flocks of cranes Grus grus, red-footed falcons Falco vespertinus, lapwings Vanellus vanellus, ferrugineous ducks Aythya nyroca, and meadow pipits Anthus pratensis frequently stop and rest in considerable numbers. Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus winter in this polje. While Marsh Harriers , Circus aeruginosus breed in small number and migrate through the polje. This is also a breeding site of Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria and probably Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus.
146 plant species were recorded in this polje, forming five vegetation types. Only one fish species: Adriatic Brown Trout Salmo farioides has been recorded in polje so far, together with 13 species of dragonflies.
The most important habitat types are: submediterranean wet flooded meadows (Trifolio-Hordeetalia), flood and marsh grassland and pastures (Deschampsietalia), peaty and boggy areas (Caricetalia davallianae), submediterranean and epimediterranean dry grasslands (Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia) and dry grassland and meadows of carbonate grounds (Brometalia erecti). On Kupreško polje peat habitats of relict character with large number of subarctic element and glacial relicts in association Valeriano-Caricetum buxbaumii can be found. In deep soils of Kupres highlands meadow plant community Peucedano-Lathyretum filiformis is present.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Kupreško polje is a karstic plateau in Western Bosnia. It is approachable from N via the regional road Banja Luka – Jajce – Kupres and Banja Luka – Šipovo – Kupres that continue towards Livno and Tomsilavgrad. From E it can be reached from the direction of Zenica – Bugojno - Kupres.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kupreško polje (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kupreško-polje-iba-bosnia-and-herzegovina on 23/11/2024.
