Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2003 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 List1 | Season | Year(s) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | LC | passage | 1991-2001 | 3,300-11,000 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | non-breeding | 2000 | 570 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Smew Mergellus albellus | LC | winter | 1993 | 250 individuals | B1i, C2 |
| Dunlin Calidris alpina | NT | breeding | 1999-2000 | 10-15 breeding pairs | C6 |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2003) may differ.
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Lõu bay | Baltic Sea Protected Area (Helcom) | 99 |
| 1965 | Rahuste looduskaitseala | Looduskaitseala | 14 |
| 1973 | Kaugatoma-Lõu maastikukaitseala | Maastikukaitseala (looduspark) | 2 |
| 1973 | Kaugatoma-Lõo maastikukaitseala | Landscape Protection Area | 2 |
| 1990 | West Estonian Archipelago | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 100 |
| 2004 | Kaugatoma-Lõu | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 100 |
| 2004 | Kaugatoma-Lõu | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 100 |
| 2007 | Kaugatoma-Lõu hoiuala | Hoiuala | 84 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Rahuste skv. | Looduskaitseala hooldatav sihtkaitsevöönd | 6 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Ooslamaa skv. | Looduskaitseala hooldatav sihtkaitsevöönd | 5 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Kriimi loodusreservaat | Looduskaitseala loodusreservaat | 2 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Arima pv. | Looduskaitseala piiranguvöönd | 1 |
| 2007 | Kaugatoma-Lõu hoiuala | Limited Management Zone | 84 |
| 2009 | Kura Kurk | Baltic Sea Protected Area (HELCOM) | 100 |
| 2009 | Kaugatoma-Lõu MKA, Kaugatoma-Lõu skv. | Maastikukaitseala hooldatav sihtkaitsevöönd | 1 |
| 2017 | Kaugatoma-Lõu MKA, Lõu pv. | Limited management zone of protected landscape | <1 |
| 2017 | Kaugatoma-Lõu MKA, Kaugatoma pv. | Limited management zone of protected landscape | <1 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 89 | |
| Grassland | 7 | |
| Shrubland | 2 | |
| Wetlands (inland) | Water fringe vegetation | 2 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 99 |
| fisheries/aquaculture | 90 |
| agriculture | 5 |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| hunting | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lõu bay (Estonia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lõu-bay-iba-estonia on 23/11/2024.