Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Planinsko polje is part of the karst basin of the Ljubljanica river, and displays typical karst features such as caves (more than 100 in the vicinity) and sink-holes. Higher hills surround the IBA, from where water collects and sinks underground. Floods periodically cover about 16 km
2 of the area. Besides the numerous small streams, the Unica river with its beautiful meanders is the main water-body at the site. Arable land and human settlements occur at the outermost, higher edges of the site. Land-use is mainly mowing of grass and hay; some farmers use fertilizer to increase grass production. This has been a classic area for karst research since the 17th century.
An important site for breeding
Crex crex. Other wet meadow and grassland bird species breed at the site in nationally important numbers, including many SPECs. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site:
Alcedo atthis (2-5 pairs). The site is known to support notable numbers of birds on migration as well.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main threat to birds is the drainage of wet depressions and protected meadows. During 1970-1979 the national Natural Protection Service organized field research concerning the proposal for Notranjski Krajinski Park (Protected Landscape). There is a management plan for the Landscape Park. Bird data is incomplete, and intensive ornithological and entomological research is planned.
National Partial
International None960 ha of IBA covered by Landscape Park (Krajinski park Planinsko polje, 960 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Planina polje (Slovenia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/planina-polje-iba-slovenia on 23/12/2024.
