Data Zone
Country/territory: Iceland
IBA criteria met: B1i (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 5,600 hectares (56.00 km2)
Site description (2000 baseline)
An extensive marsh/mire, dominated by sedge (Carex, Eriophorum), with lakes and pools, 10 km south of the town of Hella in southern Iceland. It stretches from Thykkvabæjarvatn (with surrounding marshes) to Kringlutjörn and Frakkavatn (with surrounding marshes), and includes Andalækur and the area from Vetleifsholtbugaur to Hrútsvatn. This is the southern and western part of Safamýri, formerly one of the richest Carex-Eriophorum marshes in Iceland before its drainage and the damming of the Thverá and Ytri-Rangá rivers. Pond-weed Potamogeton is abundant in Frakkavatn.
Key biodiversity
A wide variety of wildfowl and waders breed in the area, and Anas penelope moults on Frakkavatn and Andalækur.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Vetleifsholtsbugar-Thykkvabæjarvatn (Iceland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/vetleifsholtsbugar-thykkvabæjarvatn-iba-iceland on 23/12/2024.