Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | LC | passage (1991–2001) | 3,300–11,000 birds | A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | non-breeding (2000) | 570 birds | B1i, C3 |
| Smew Mergellus albellus | LC | winter (1993) | 250 birds | B1i, C2 |
| Dunlin Calidris alpina | NT | breeding (1999–2000) | 10–15 pairs | C6 |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Lõu bay | Baltic Sea Protected Area (Helcom) (UA) | 99 |
| 1973 | Kaugatoma-Lõo maastikukaitseala | Landscape Protection Area (-) | 2 |
| 1990 | West Estonian Archipelago | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) | 100 |
| 2007 | Kaugatoma-Lõu hoiuala | Hoiuala (VI) | 84 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Rahuste skv. | Looduskaitseala hooldatav sihtkaitsevöönd (IV) | 6 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Ooslamaa skv. | Looduskaitseala hooldatav sihtkaitsevöönd (IV) | 5 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Kriimi loodusreservaat | Looduskaitseala loodusreservaat (Ia) | 2 |
| 2007 | Rahuste LKA, Arima pv. | Looduskaitseala piiranguvöönd (VI) | 1 |
| 2007 | Kaugatoma-Lõu hoiuala | Limited Management Zone (-) | 84 |
| 2009 | Kaugatoma-Lõu MKA, Kaugatoma-Lõu skv. | Maastikukaitseala hooldatav sihtkaitsevöönd (IV) | 1 |
| 2017 | Kaugatoma-Lõu MKA, Lõu pv. | Limited management zone of protected landscape (V) | <1 |
| 2017 | Kaugatoma-Lõu MKA, Kaugatoma pv. | Limited management zone of protected landscape (V) | <1 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 89 | |
| Grassland | 7 | |
| Shrubland | 2 | |
| Wetlands (inland) | 2 | Water fringe vegetation |
| 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 26/12/2024.