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

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	13,849-17,952 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	20,618-31,774 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	1,133-1,252 individuals	B1i, C3
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	winter	2011-2015	603 individuals	B2
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	3,890-4,801 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	1,371-1,809 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	28,795-46,270 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	1,196-1,927 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	5,533-10,384 individuals	B1i, C3
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus	VU	non-breeding	2011-2015	73-92 individuals	A1, C1, C6
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus	VU	winter	2011-2015	64 individuals	B2
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	487-638 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	85-118 individuals	C6
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	non-breeding	2011-2015	36,716-41,715 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter	2011-2015	27,558 individuals	B2
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2011-2015	652-764 breeding pairs	B1i, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	1,156-1,380 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	non-breeding	2011-2015	8,372-9,204 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	8,910-11,797 individuals	B3, C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2011-2015	3,698 individuals	B3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	breeding	2011-2015	44-52 breeding pairs	B3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	winter	2011-2015	53 individuals	B3
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding	2011-2015	43-47 breeding pairs	C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	108-158 individuals	C6
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	NT	winter	2011-2015	7,002 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	non-breeding	2011-2015	21,319-24,393 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2011-2015	13,737 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	non-breeding	2011-2015	8,067-9,012 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2011-2015	46 individuals	B2
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	non-breeding	2011-2015	1,459-1,753 individuals	B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	non-breeding	2011-2015	15,253-18,810 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	non-breeding	2011-2015	38,355-46,420 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	2,769-3,188 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	breeding	2011-2015	5,931-6,230 breeding pairs	B3
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding	2011-2015	3,252 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2011-2015	1,166-1,345 breeding pairs	C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	2011-2015	23-35 breeding pairs	C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	non-breeding	2011-2015	12-15 individuals	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding	2011-2015	207,678-228,518 individuals	A4iii, C4

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2016) may differ.

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
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>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	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Inlagen Noord-Beveland	Nature Reserve	<1
-	Thoolse Schorren en Slikken	Nature Reserve	<1
-	Schelphoek	Nature Conservation Law	1
-	Inlagen Anna Friso	Nature Reserve	<1
-	Oosterschelde Buitendijks	Nature Reserve	2
1987	Oosterschelde	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1989	Oosterschelde	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1990	Oosterschelde-buitendijks	Natural Monument	59
1990	Oosterschelde-binnendijks	Natural Monument	1
2002	Oosterschelde	Nationaal Park	100
2004	Oosterschelde	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
2010	Oosterschelde	Natuurbeschermingswet	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
water management	100
fisheries/aquaculture	80
tourism/recreation	80
nature conservation and research	65
urban/industrial/transport	21

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Oosterschelde (Netherlands). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/oosterschelde-iba-netherlands on 22/11/2024.