• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	13,667–15,800 birds	B1i, C3
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	11–22 pairs	C6
Baillon's Crake Zapornia pusilla	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	5–9 pairs	C2, C6

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2016. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Leekstermeer GRL	Nature Reserve (-)	10
-	Leekstermeer (Dr)	Nature Reserve (-)	38
-	Leekstermeer (Gr)	Nature Reserve (-)	2
2010	Leekstermeergebied	Natuurbeschermingswet (IV)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	65	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes
Wetlands (inland)	31	Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation

Land use	% of IBA
water management	100
nature conservation and research	97
tourism/recreation	31
fisheries/aquaculture	26

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Leekstermeergebied (Netherlands). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/leekstermeergebied-iba-netherlands on 25/12/2024.