Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus | LC | winter | - | 500 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | LC | winter | - | 10,000 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | breeding | - | 41 breeding pairs | B3, C6 |
| Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus | LC | breeding | 1996 | 28 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | breeding | 1995 | 62 breeding pairs | C6 |
| Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus | LC | breeding | 1995 | 4 breeding pairs | C6 |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2000) may differ.
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Het Zwin | Nature Reserve | 7 |
| 1986 | Zwin | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 29 |
| 1988 | Het Zwin | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 100 |
| 1993 | kh301 | Beschermd duingebied | 6 |
| 1993 | kh304 | Beschermd duingebied | <1 |
| 1993 | kh303 | Beschermd duingebied | <1 |
| 1993 | kh302 | Beschermd duingebied | <1 |
| 1993 | kh411 | Beschermd duingebied | <1 |
| 1993 | kh404 | Beschermd duingebied | <1 |
| 2002 | Duingebieden inclusief Ijzermonding en Zwin. | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 31 |
| 2002 | Polders | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 4 |
| 2003 | De Zwinstreek | Vlaams Ecologisch Netwerk | 33 |
| 2003 | Zwinduinen en -polders | Vlaams natuurreservaat | 11 |
| 2015 | Zwinpolders | Vlaams Ecologisch Netwerk | 9 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable land, Perennial crops, orchards and groves, Forestry plantations | 80 |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | minor (<10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | minor (<10) | |
| Forest | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 70 |
| nature conservation and research | 15 |
| tourism/recreation | 5 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Zwin (Belgium). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/zwin-iba-belgium on 23/11/2024.