Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A complex of crater-lakes in the southern highlands of Iceland, c.30 km south-west of the Vatnajökull glacier. Many lakes have some surrounding vegetation (marshes and grassy areas), and lava-fields have some moss-cover, but otherwise, away from the lakes, there are large, flat expanses of eroded gravel with little or no vegetation. The area is used for sheep-grazing, tourism and trout-fishing (one of Iceland's most popular areas).
Other breeding birds include some
Aythya marila and
Histrionicus histrionicus, and
A. marila also moults in the area (c.200 birds).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Anglers, hunting, introduced American mink
Mustela vison, and excessive erosion (`Other' threat) are all potential threats. Ownership of the highlands has not been resolved, but farmers have grazing and fishing rights. 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: Veidivotn (Iceland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/veidivotn-iba-iceland on 24/11/2024.
