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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 ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger 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 birds	C6
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter (2011–2015)	241–418 birds	B3
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	457–1,237 birds	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	60,335–78,286 birds	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	24,911–25,825 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	27,203–30,011 birds	B1i, C3
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	non-breeding (2011–2015)	36–76 birds	A1, C1, C6
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	1,573–2,044 birds	B1i, C3
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	5,145–6,910 birds	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	1,828–2,338 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	298–499 birds	B1i, C2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	non-breeding (2011–2015)	1,787–2,961 birds	B1i, C3
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	1,010–1,539 birds	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	62 birds	C6
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	30–40 birds	C6
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	1 pairs	C6
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	1 pairs	C6
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	4 birds	C6
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	1,750–2,200 pairs	B3
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	242–273 pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding (2011–2015)	32,986–37,951 birds	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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	241 / 10 (birds)	100	good
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	457 / 140 (birds)	100	good
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	17,580 / 1,700 (birds)	100	good
Greylag Goose Anser anser	24,911 / 11,000 (birds)	100	good
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	27,203 / 190 (birds)	100	good
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	36 / 40 (birds)	90	moderate
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	1,573 / 290 (birds)	100	good
Gadwall Mareca strepera	5,145 / 900 (birds)	100	good
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	1,828 / 510 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	298 / 80 (birds)	100	good
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,308 / 260 (birds)	100	good
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	30 / 10 (birds)	100	good
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	1 / 4 (pairs)	25	very poor
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	4 / 1 (birds)	100	good
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	1,750 / 1,900 (pairs)	93	good
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica	242 / 120 (pairs)	100	good

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lauwersmeer (Netherlands). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lauwersmeer-iba-netherlands on 23/12/2024.