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HU003
Lake Fertő
Location Hungary, Gyor-Sopron-Moson
Central coordinates 16o 38.00' East  47o 36.00' North
IBA criteria C2, C3, C6
Area 8,500 ha
Altitude 110 - 116m
Year of IBA assessment 2002

Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society



Ornithological information An important breeding and staging area for waterbirds. More than 255 bird species have been recorded.

Site description A large saline lake situated on the Austrian-Hungarian border. The IBA includes the Hungarian part of the lake (an area of 75 km2), of which 88% is covered by reedbeds (Phragmites), and adjacent mesophile and wet saline grasslands. Human activities include reed-harvesting (`Other' land-use, below), a small-scale fishery and recreation.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Bean Goose Anser fabalis passage  2001  4,000-16,000 individuals  unknown  C3  Least Concern 
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons passage  2001  100-3,600 individuals  unknown  C3  Least Concern 
Greylag Goose Anser anser passage  2001  100-11,000 individuals  unknown  C3  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca passage  2001  10,000 individuals  unknown  C3  Least Concern 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina passage  2001  1,000 individuals  unknown  C3  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  2001  25-30 breeding pairs  unknown  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  2001  80-100 breeding pairs  unknown  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  2001  40-50 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon breeding  2001  100 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica breeding  2001  10 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Fertõ tó - HUFH10001 Birds Directive 8,697 protected area contains site 8,500  
Fertõ tó - HUFH20002 Habitats Directive 11,299 protected area contains site 8,500  
Ferto-Hansági National Park 23,735 protected area contains site 12,542  
Lake Fertö Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 8,432 protected area contained by site 8,432  
Lake Fertö Biosphere Reserve UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 12,542 protected area contained by site 12,542  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Humid grasslands; Mesophile grasslands  5%
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish and salt water; Water fringe vegetation  65%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes  30%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 15%
fisheries/aquaculture 65%
hunting 98%
nature conservation and research 100%
water management 65%
other -

Management considerations Wildfowl shooting is banned, although shooting of red fox Vulpes vulpes and wild boar Sus scrofa is undertaken for conservation purposes. A wetland restoration project at Mexikópuszta has led to the site becoming extremely important for waterbirds. PHARE has funded an eco-tourism project within the transboundary National Park, and a management plan exists for the area.

Protection status National High International High12,542 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Fertõ-Hanság, 12,543 ha). 2,870 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Fertõ-tó, 2,870 ha). 12,542 ha of IBA covered by Biosphere Reserve (Lake Fertõ, 12,542 ha).

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

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