Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The site comprises a stretch of the upper Narew valley between the dam at Bondary village and the town of Sura¿, as well as the Pietkowo pond complex near Sura¿. The Narew river has a natural character, and the valley is up to 3 km wide. Flood-plain plant communities depend on annual river flooding: beds of sedge and reed-grass
Glyceria dominate, while small patches of reed
Phragmites, scrub and willow
Salix woodland occur along the river. Forest covers only 5% of the valley; open areas are mainly pastures and hay meadows. The Pietkowo pond complex adjoins extensive mixed and broadleaved forests. The ponds are densely overgrown with rushes and reeds
Phragmites, with smaller amounts of sedge, reed-mace
Typha and bulrush
Scirpus.
A total of 145 species have been recorded breeding (49 at Pietkowo ponds). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Aythya nyroca (one breeding pair),
Haliaeetus albicilla (non-breeding visitor).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Fish-farming activities include the dredging of ponds and lowering of the water-level in the area of the ponds. Abandonment of management of hay meadows and pasture has reduced the suitability of these habitats for some birds.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Upper Narew River Valley (Poland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/upper-narew-river-valley-iba-poland on 23/12/2024.
