Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A major freshwater river that drains Lake Thingvallavatn. Land-uses also include angling (salmon fishing), hydroelectric generation and holiday-homes. The area belongs to three communities: Grafningshreppur, ölfushreppur and Grímsneshreppur.
One of the few wintering sites for
Bucephala islandica in Iceland away from Mývatn-Laxá (site 044). Also overwintering, in notable numbers, are
Bucephala clangula (one of the few wintering sites in Iceland) and
Mergus serrator.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Hydroelectric power-stations have changed the river ecosystem. The area is on the list of sites of conservation interest in the Nature Conservation Register.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sogid -Thingvallavatn (Iceland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sogid-thingvallavatn-iba-iceland on 23/12/2024.
