Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2016 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 444–561 individuals | C6 |
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | LC | winter (2011–2015) | 241–418 individuals | B3 |
| Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 457–1,237 individuals | B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 60,335–78,286 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2, C6 |
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 24,911–25,825 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 27,203–30,011 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus | VU | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 36–76 individuals | A1, C1, C6 |
| Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 1,573–2,044 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Gadwall Mareca strepera | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 5,145–6,910 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Northern Pintail Anas acuta | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 1,828–2,338 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 298–499 individuals | B1i, C2 |
| Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa | NT | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 1,787–2,961 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Ruff Calidris pugnax | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 1,010–1,539 individuals | C6 |
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 62 individuals | C6 |
| Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 30–40 individuals | C6 |
| Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus | LC | breeding (2011–2015) | 1 breeding pairs | C6 |
| White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla | LC | breeding (2011–2015) | 1 breeding pairs | C6 |
| White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla | LC | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 4 individuals | C6 |
| Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | LC | breeding (2011–2015) | 1,750–2,200 breeding pairs | B3 |
| Bluethroat Luscinia svecica | LC | breeding (2011–2015) | 242–273 breeding pairs | C6 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | non-breeding (2011–2015) | 32,986–37,951 individuals | A4iii, C4 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2016. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2017 | very unfavourable | not assessed | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | 241 / 10 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus | 457 / 140 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | 17,580 / 1,700 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | 24,911 / 11,000 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | 27,203 / 190 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus | 36 / 40 (individuals) | 90 | near favourable | ||
| Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata | 1,573 / 290 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Gadwall Mareca strepera | 5,145 / 900 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Northern Pintail Anas acuta | 1,828 / 510 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia | 298 / 80 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa | 1,308 / 260 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia | 30 / 10 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus | 1 / 4 (breeding pairs) | 25 | very unfavourable | ||
| White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla | 4 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | 1,750 / 1,900 (breeding pairs) | 93 | favourable | ||
| Bluethroat Luscinia svecica | 242 / 120 (breeding pairs) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species | Unknown | medium |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Bantpolder | Nature Conservation Law (-) | 2 |
| - | Bochtjesplaat | Nature Reserve (-) | 1 |
| - | Lauwersmeer | Nature Conservation Law (IV) | 80 |
| 1994 | Lauwersmeer II | Natural Monument (-) | 3 |
| 1994 | Lauwersmeer I | Natural Monument (-) | 96 |
| 2003 | Lauwersmeer | Nationaal Park (II) | 97 |
| 2010 | Lauwersmeer | Natuurbeschermingswet (IV) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | 51 | Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Arable land; Forestry plantations |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 44 | |
| Unknown | 5 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| water management | 100 |
| nature conservation and research | 73 |
| tourism/recreation | 65 |
| military | 35 |
| urban/industrial/transport | 26 |
| fisheries/aquaculture | 25 |
| agriculture | 10 |
| hunting | 10 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lauwersmeer (Netherlands). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lauwersmeer-iba-netherlands on 16/01/2025.