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Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A large, diverse, sparsely populated island closely connected to the city of Turku. Ruissalo is remarkable for both its natural and cultural history. The area supports about half of the natural
Quercus forest in the country. Between and around the forests are numerous patches of farmland with narrow belts of reedbeds along the shoreline
. The site also encompasses some small, barren islands lying off the main island.
An important breeding area for forest avifauna, especially for species of deciduous forests, such as
Columba oenas. The site is also important for
Strix aluco (10-50 pairs),
Picus canus (10-50 pairs) and
Dendrocopos minor (10-50 pairs), although populations of these three species do not meet the IBA criteria at this site.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Cultivation of the land, settlements and traffic, both on the roads and at sea, impact on the island's nature. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.
National Low
International Partial87 ha of IBA covered by Protected Area on Private Land (Ruissalo, 56 ha). 798 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Ruissalon lehdot).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ruissalo (Finland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ruissalo-iba-finland on 24/12/2024.
