Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A large inland freshwater lake in a mountain basin, part of which is in Albania (see Albanian site 002).
No data are available for breeding season. The International Waterfowl Census counts (in the Macedonian sector) in winter 1987 and 1988 recorded (1988 data unless stated)
Tachybaptus ruficollis (1,090),
Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (70),
P. aristotelis (10),
Cygnus olor (100 in 1987),
Aythya ferina (7,050),
A. fuligula (2,200) and
Fulica atra (32,100).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
With an age of 2-4 million years, this is one of the most ancient lakes in the world, harbouring many endemic species among its aquatic fauna.
National Partial
International HighIBA covered by Ornithological Reserve. 25,100 ha of IBA covered by World Heritage Site (Ohrid Region; 25,100 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Ohrid (North Macedonia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-ohrid-iba-north-macedonia on 24/11/2024.
