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YU038
Lake Skadar
Location Montenegro
Central coordinates 19o 15.00' East  42o 11.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2
Area 40,000 ha
Altitude 5 - 100m
Year of IBA assessment 2000





Ornithological information This is a very important site for breeding, wintering and passage waterbirds, holding more than 20,000 individuals throughout the year. Numbers in winter range from 150,846 to 223,792, and in November numbers on passage regularly average 250,000. Breeding landbirds include six of the 21 species in Europe that are restricted (when breeding) to the Mediterranean biome.

Site description A large lake (also known as Lake Scutari) shared with Albania (Albanian site 001), situated near the town of Podgorica, with wetlands on the northern side; several rivers supply the lake.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Near Threatened 
Common Teal Anas crecca winter  1996  1,000-40,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina winter  1996  16,000-55,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca breeding  1998  20-30 breeding pairs  medium  A1  Near Threatened 
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula winter  1996  13,000-45,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus winter  1996  1,000-6,500 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis winter  1996  4,000-22,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1998  300-400 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus winter  1996  100-600 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus resident  1998  9 breeding pairs  good  A1  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus passage  -  8,000-10,000 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus resident  -  1,500-2,000 breeding pairs  medium  A1, A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1996  2,500-11,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra winter  1996  65,000-120,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum breeding  -  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans breeding  -  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Western Rock-nuthatch Sitta neumayer resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  -  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala breeding  -  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1996  -  unknown  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Skadarsko jezero National Park 40,000 protected area contained by site 40,000  
Skadarsko Jezero Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 20,000 protected area contained by site 20,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest   -
Shrubland   -
Grassland Humid grasslands  -
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
fisheries/aquaculture -
urban/industrial/transport -
hunting -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -
water management -

Management considerations Large quantities of chemicals are thought to have entered the lake several years ago, with devastating consequences for fish and birds (`Other' threat). Many bird species are thought to have suffered large declines as a result. Additional threats include fishing and poaching.

Protection status National High International Partial40,000 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Skadarsko Jezero, 40,000 ha). 20,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Skadarsko Jezero, 20,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lake Skadar. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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