DE149
Lower Elbe valley


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2002 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 winter (1990–1999) 1,900 birds A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus LC passage (1990–1999) 2,000 birds A4i, B1i, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis LC passage (1990–1999) 350 birds C2, C6
Bean Goose Anser fabalis LC passage (1990–1999) 35,000 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons LC passage (1997) 17,500 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata LC passage (1990–1999) 400 birds B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta LC passage (1990–1999) 600 birds B1i, C3
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus LC resident (1997) 10–20 pairs C6
Corncrake Crex crex LC breeding (1990–1999) 5–21 pairs C1
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana LC resident (1997) 5–10 pairs B1i
Little Crake Zapornia parva LC resident (1997) 2–5 pairs C6
Common Crane Grus grus LC winter (1990–1999) 4,500 birds A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Common Crane Grus grus LC breeding (1990–1999) 30–32 pairs C6
White Stork Ciconia ciconia LC breeding (1990–1999) 110 pairs B2, C6
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris LC breeding (1997) 2 pairs B1i, C2
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria LC passage (1990–1999) 4,200 birds C6
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus NT passage (1990–1999) 77,000 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo LC breeding (1990–1999) 1 pairs C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus LC breeding (1990–1999) 30–35 pairs C6
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla LC passage (1997) 29 birds C6
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla LC breeding (1990–1999) 3 pairs C6
Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius LC breeding (1990–1999) 50–80 pairs C6
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio LC breeding (1990–1999) 300–400 pairs C6
Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos LC breeding (1990–1999) 800–1,500 pairs B3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a passage (1991–1999) 137,050 birds A4iii, C4

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
1965 NSG Heideweiher Visse Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1972 Heideweiher Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1972 Kuhwinkel Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1979 Flusslandschaft Elbe UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) 100
1990 Elbdeichhinterland Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 2
1990 Elbdeichvorland Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 1
1990 Rambower Torfmoor Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 1
1990 Werder Kietz Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Werder Besandten Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Krähenfuß Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Lenzen-Wustrower Elbniederung Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 2
1990 Mendeluch Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Elbdeichvorland Nature Reserve (IV) 1
1990 Gadow Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 1
1990 Werder Mödlich Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Krötenluch Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Mörickeluch Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1990 Kranichteich Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
1998 Brandenburgische Elbtalaue Landschaftschutzgebiet (V) 100
2002 Jackel Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 1
2003 Plattenburg Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 1
2003 Gandower Schweineweide Naturschutzgebiet (IV) <1
2004 Wittenberge-Rühstädter Elbniederung Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 4
2008 Perleberger Schießplatz Naturschutzgebiet (IV) 1

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable land
Forest - Alluvial and very wet forest
Grassland - Humid grasslands
Wetlands (inland) - Standing freshwater; Rivers and streams; Water fringe vegetation

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture -
forestry -
fisheries/aquaculture -
hunting -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lower Elbe valley (Germany). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lower-elbe-valley-iba-germany on 23/12/2024.