Data Zone
Country/territory: Poland
IBA criteria met: C1, C2, C3, C4, C6 (2010)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 642 hectares (6.42 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2010 | very poor | very high | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2000 baseline)
A 6 km stretch of the lower Wis³a (Vistula) river from Przegalina sluice to the river mouth, including a strip of meadows along the right bank (between Mikoszewo and Drewnica). Habitats include sandy peninsulas, mobile sandflats, small sandy islets, temporary lakes and adjacent dunes, freshwater lakes on either side of the Wis³a channel, and a small patch of coastal forest. The vegetation is very species-rich and at the river mouth shows all stages of natural succession from bare sandflats to bushes and forest on the oldest areas. Willow Salix has been planted to stabilize dunes. The meadows are flooded in spring (occasionally at other seasons) and are grazed, mainly by cattle.
Key biodiversity
A very important site for wintering, migrating and breeding waterbirds, regularly holding well over 20,000 individuals, sometimes exceeding 150,000 birds. In late summer and early autumn wader passage is intense, with very high rates of turn-over; Calidris species dominate (up to 8,000 waders ringed in a season). When flooded, the meadows near the southern border of the IBA support thousands of ducks and waders. Other waterbirds supported in high numbers include Clangula hyemalis (30,000, winter) and non-breeding terns in summer/autumn (max. 1,000 Sterna sandvicensis; max. 3,000 Sterna hirundo). Overall, at least 22 waterbird species have been recorded breeding, with at least 120 waterbird species recorded in the non-breeding season.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Vistula river mouth (Poland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/vistula-river-mouth-iba-poland on 23/12/2024.