Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Situated south-west of Lake Balaton at the mouth of the Zala river. Originally part of the lake, the site has silted up and reverted to mire. In 1992 51 km
2of adjacent agricultural lands were flooded, and open water and extensive reedbeds (
Phragmites) and sedgebeds (
Carex) are now the main habitat types. Human activities include construction works, angling, fishing and reed-harvesting (`Other' land-use, below).
This site is important for breeding herons (Ardeidae) and migratory wildfowl, especially geese. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Haliaeetus albicilla (1-2 breeding pairs; 10-15 wintering birds),
Crex crex (10-15 breeding pairs). Nationally important for breeding
Phalacrocorax carbo (minimum 950 pairs).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
A change in the ecological character of the area has been noted following recent land-management work. Spring floods destroy the clutches of reedbed-nesting birds, and fish-kills and cases of botulism occur regularly due to pollution from sewage outfalls and contaminated sediments (`Other' threat, above). An environmental impact-monitoring programme was initiated in 1992, and wildfowl hunting has been banned.
National High
International High14,745 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Balaton-felvidéki, 56,696 ha). 14,745 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Kis-Balaton, 14,745 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Kis-Balaton (Hungary). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-kis-balaton-iba-hungary on 25/11/2024.
