Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information The raised saltmarshes are an important spring feeding area for Branta bernicla, and the area is also important as a high-tide roost for tens of thousands of waterbirds which feed in the Wadden Sea.

Site description A 22-km long area of sand-dunes on the eastern side of this barrier island in the Wadden Sea (adjacent to site 001). The width of the dunes varies from 100 m (near the main village) to 1.5 km. Other habitats include saltmarshes (Neerlands Reid), sandflats (De Hon), and intertidal mudflats. The site does not include the villages, extensive touristic facilities, or the grassland polders that are intensively used for dairy farming. Land-uses include natural-gas extraction, groundwater abstraction, hunting (restricted to rabbits), and reed-harvesting. The area lies close to an airfield.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
De Vleijen en Nesserbos	Nature Reserve	50	protected area contained by site	50
Duinen Ameland - NL2003057	Habitats Directive	2,016	protected area contained by site	2,016
Duinen Ameland - NL3009005	Birds Directive	2,055	protected area contained by site	2,055
Grauwe Duin e.o.	Nature Reserve	48	protected area contained by site	48
Hagedorenveld	Nature Reserve	116	protected area contained by site	116
Jan Roepeheide	Nature Reserve	33	protected area contained by site	33
Kievitspolle	Nature Reserve	22	protected area contained by site	22
Neerlands Reid	Natural Monument	265	protected area contained by site	265
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
Oostbosje en landschapselementen	Nature Reserve	12	protected area contained by site	12
Roosduinen	Nature Reserve with Management Subsidy	65	protected area contained by site	83
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	950
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

Habitats

Land use

Management considerations Threats include shellfish fisheries (Wadden Sea), gas extraction, disturbance by small aircraft (the local airfield was extended recently), reed-harvesting, and an increase in tourism (although part of the dune area is closed to the public during the breeding season). The dune area and the eastern part of the island are managed as Nature Reserves, although only small parts are actually owned by conservation bodies. The saltmarshes and mudflats are included in the SPA- and Ramsar-designated Wadden Sea.

Protection status National Partial International Partial265 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Neerlands Reid, 265 ha). 50 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (De Vleijen en Nesserbos, 50 ha). 48 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Grauwe Duin e.o., 48 ha). 116 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Hagedorenveld, 116 ha). 33 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Jan Roepeheide, 33 ha). 22 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Kievitspolle, 22 ha). 12 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Oostbosje en landschapselementen, 12 ha). 83 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Roosduinen, 83 ha). 950 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Waddenzee, `250,000 ha' [official, incorrect figure]). 950 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: Ameland: Duinen-Oerd. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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