Data Zone
Country/territory: Croatia
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B1iii, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6 (2010)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 66,402 hectares (664.02 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | not assessed | high | medium |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2005 baseline)
The lowland area of Dunav and Drava rivers alluvium. The prevailing habitats are rivers, wetlands and riverine forests (mostly oak, willow and poplar). The largest wetlands are Kopacki rit and fishponds Podunavlje and Donji Miholjac, while rivers are surrounded with oxbows, ponds and smaller river flows. Important river habitats include sandbanks, sand-bars and islands and vertical, eroded, bare riverbanks. Steppe and wet pastures are
scarce and revitalisation is proposed. The area is an important breeding site for herons and egrets, White-tailed Eagle and Ferruginous Duck, a wintering site for many waterbirds and stopover site for Spoonbills. This area regularly supports more than 20.000 waterbirds during migration and wintering period. Main threats are river canalization, drainage, possible loss of carp fishponds due to abandonment of fish production, water pollution, intensified forest management, agricultural intensification, excessive or illegal hunting and unregulated recreational activities and tourism.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Podunavlje and Lower Podravlje (Croatia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/podunavlje-and-lower-podravlje-iba-croatia on 22/12/2024.