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close| Location | Netherlands, Friesland |
| Central coordinates | 4o 59.00' East 53o 17.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6 |
| Area | 2,740 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 30m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information The dunes hold a recently-established breeding colony of Platalea leucorodia. The island also has a large number of Somateria mollissima (2,500 nests) and a large breeding colony of Larus argentatus. The mudflats south of the island are an important feeding area for tens of thousands of waterbirds that have high-tide roosts in the polders and on the Vliehors (count data for this sandflat hardly exist).
Site description The site is 17 km long and covers 85% of this barrier island in the Wadden Sea, lying between Texel and Terschelling (the village and the main tourist facilities on the east side have been excluded). The western half of the island (Vliehors) is an extensive sandflat (adjacent to the Wadden Sea, site 001). The eastern part consists of an extensive area of both shifting and fixed sand-dunes (the width of which varies from 300 to 1,700 m), forestry plantations, some embanked brackish lagoons (Kroonpolders) and mudflats (Posthuiswad). The western part of the island (Vliehors) is an air-force training area. Other land-uses include scattered houses, recreational facilities, hunting, and groundwater abstraction.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia | breeding | 1991 | 34 breeding pairs | good | B1i, B2, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus | breeding | 1991 | 6 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus | non-breeding | 1992 | 12,608 individuals | good | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica | winter | 1992 | 5,320 individuals | good | B1i, B2, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica | passage | 1992 | 19,012 individuals | good | A4i, B1i, C2 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata | non-breeding | 1992 | 4,460 individuals | good | A4i, B1i, C3 | Near Threatened |
| Red Knot Calidris canutus | winter | 1992 | 20,250 individuals | good | A4i, B1i, B2, C3 | Least Concern |
| Red Knot Calidris canutus | passage | 1990 | 16,850 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Mew Gull Larus canus | breeding | 1991 | 608 breeding pairs | good | B2 | Least Concern |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus | breeding | 1992 | 905 breeding pairs | medium | B3 | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | winter | 1992 | - | unknown | A4iii, C4 |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duinen Vlieland - NL2003061 | Habitats Directive | 1,532 | protected area overlaps with site | 2,545 | |
| Duinen Vlieland - NL3009009 | Birds Directive | 1,398 | protected area contained by site | 1,398 | |
| Noordzeekustzone - NL2003062 | Habitats Directive | 24,838 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Noordzeekustzone - NL9802001 | Birds Directive | 123,646 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Vlieland | Nature Conservation Law | 1,840 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,350 |
|
| Waddeneilanden,Noordzeekustzone,Breebaart | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 135,000 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
|
| Waddenzee (Wadden Sea) | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 249,998 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
|
| Waddenzee - NL1000001 | Habitats Directive | 259,214 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Waddenzee - NL9801001 | Birds Directive | 272,027 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Waddenzee I | Natural Monument | 125,000 | protected area overlaps with site | 200 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing brackish and salt water | - |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Forestry plantations | 6% |
| Coastline | Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | 7% |
| hunting | 100% |
| military | 6% |
| nature conservation and research | 57% |
| tourism/recreation | 57% |
| urban/industrial/transport | 5% |
Management considerations Threats include shellfish fisheries (Wadden Sea), air-force training on the Vliehors, and increasing tourism (although a large part of the area is closed to the public during the breeding season). The dune area and Kroonpolders are managed as a Nature Reserve by the National Forestry Service. Only the mudflats of the Wadden Sea (of which c.100 ha are included in this site) and the Vliehors have been included in the Ramsar and SPA designations.
Protection status National Partial International Partial200 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Waddenzee I, 125,000 ha). 1,350 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Vlieland, 1,840 ha). 367 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Waddenzee, `250,000 ha' [official, incorrect figure]). 367 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Waddenzee, `250,000 ha' [official, incorrect figure]).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Vlieland. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013
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