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NL014
Frisian Wadden Sea coast
Location Netherlands, Friesland
Central coordinates 5o 45.00' East  53o 20.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 9,310 ha
Altitude 1 - 2m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Vogelbescherming Nederland



Ornithological information This is the main feeding site for Branta leucopsis and B. bernicla in winter, in the Netherlands at least, and possibly over a much greater area. The saltmarshes and polders are an important high-tide An important area for non-breeding Platalea leucorodia and a wide variety of waterfowl.

Site description An extensive area of intertidal mudflats, saltmarshes, and grassland polders outside the Wadden Sea dyke of Friesland (total length 40 km). The site is contiguous with the Wadden Sea IBA (site 001), and adjacent to Lauwersmeer (015) in the east. Land reclamation by the furthering of natural accretion (intensified since the 1930s) has ended, but the existing system of dams and ditches will be maintained to reduce erosion.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis winter  1990  35,636 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla non-breeding  1990  30,423 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna non-breeding  1990  14,545 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope winter  1990  18,984 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus non-breeding  1990  41,373 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1993  2,241 breeding pairs  medium  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta non-breeding  1990  4,618 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola non-breeding  1990  6,616 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  1990  14,521 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata non-breeding  1990  24,764 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Near Threatened 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  1990  15,054 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Near Threatened 
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus non-breeding  1990  729 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus non-breeding  1990  5,653 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina non-breeding  1990  42,094 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  1990  9,161 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds non-breeding  1990  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1990  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Kwelder langs de noordkust van Friesland Natural Monument 670 protected area contained by site 670  
Noord Friesland buitendijks Nature Reserve 940 protected area contained by site 940  
Noord-Friesland buitendijks Natural Monument 4,800 protected area contained by site 4,800  
Noord-Friesland buitendijks II Natural Monument 700 protected area contained by site 700  
Waddenzee (Wadden Sea) Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 249,998 protected area overlaps with site 8,360  
Waddenzee - NL1000001 Habitats Directive 259,214 protected area contains site 9,310  
Waddenzee - NL9801001 Birds Directive 272,027 protected area contains site 9,310  
Waddenzee I Natural Monument 125,000 protected area overlaps with site 2,270  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Coastline Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes  87%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Highly improved re-seeded landscapes  13%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 13%
fisheries/aquaculture 65%
hunting 50%
nature conservation and research 91%
tourism/recreation 25%

Management considerations The main threats include increasing tourism and boating, military training (artillery practice), gas extraction in the Wadden Sea, commercial reed-harvesting since 1996/1997 (`Other' threat, above), and nutrient pollution (mainly from agriculture). The importance of the area for breeding and feeding birds is decreasing due to the natural succession of vegetation and the desalinization of the soil after reclamation.

Protection status National Partial International None5,504 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Lauwersmeer I, 5,504 ha). 196 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Lauwersmeer II, 196 ha). 113 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Bantpolder, 113 ha). 49 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Bochtjesplaat, 49 ha). 4,617 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Lauwersmeer, 4,617 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Frisian Wadden Sea coast. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife