FI087
Köyliönjärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes


Site description (2000 baseline):

Site location and context
Two adjacent large lakes lying south-east of Eura. Köyliönjärvi lake is 10 km long, eutrophic and surrounded by farmland and settlements. Several large ridge-like islands with mixed habitats stand in the middle of the lake. Cattle graze some parts of the shoreline keeping meadow vegetation low and deciduous forests open. The IBA also includes some of the most ornithologically important bays of Pyhäjärvi lake, which is otherwise nutrient-poor, (oligotrophic) and unimportant for birds.



Key biodiversity
One of the most important staging areas for Mergus merganser (in autumn) in Finland. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (5 individuals, passage), Crex crex (1 pair, breeding).



Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Part of the area is a candidate SAC.



Protected areas
National None International Partial689 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Köyliönjärvi).




Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Köyliönjärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes (Finland). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/köyliönjärvi-and-pyhäjärvi-lakes-iba-finland on 23/12/2024.