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The site was identified as important in 2014 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	non-breeding	2008-2013	2-10 individuals	B1i
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis	VU	winter	2008-2013	500-3,000 individuals	A1
King Eider Somateria spectabilis	LC	winter	2008-2013	5,000-8,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Eider Somateria mollissima	NT	winter	2008-2013	6,000-8,000 individuals	B1i, B3
Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri	VU	winter	2009-2013	2,500-3,500 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca	VU	winter	2008-2013	200-400 individuals	A1, B2
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	non-breeding	2004-2013	1,000-2,000 individuals	B1i
Yellow-billed Loon Gavia adamsii	NT	winter	2008-2014	5-10 individuals	A1
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima	LC	winter	2008-2014	500-2,000 individuals	B1i, B3
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla	VU	breeding	2012-2013	25,000-30,000 breeding pairs	B1i
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus	LC	winter	2000-2010	1,000-4,000 individuals	B1i
Arctic Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus	LC	breeding	2009-2012	8,000-13,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	VU	breeding	2012-2013	11,000-16,000 breeding pairs	B1ii, B2
Common Murre Uria aalge	LC	breeding	2012-2013	14,000-15,000 breeding pairs	B1ii
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding	2009-2013	58,000-74,000 breeding pairs	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2000-2013	16,000-29,000 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2014) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri	3,000	2,000	individuals	67	unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Intertidal	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Grassland	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Marine Neritic	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1967	Bigganjarga	Naturminne	<1
1983	Hornøya og Reinøya	Naturreservat	<1
1983	Ekkerøya	Naturreservat	<1
1991	Komagværstranda	Naturreservat	1
1991	Varangerbotn	Naturreservat	<1
1991	Storelvosen	Naturreservat	<1
1991	Nesseby	Naturreservat	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Tundra	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Blanket bogs, Fens, transition mires and springs, Rivers and streams	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	major (>10)
agriculture	minor (<10)
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Varangerfjord (including Hornøya and Reinøya) (Norway). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/varangerfjord-(including-hornøya-and-reinøya)-iba-norway on 22/11/2024.