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close| Location | Lithuania, Telsiai |
| Central coordinates | 22o 25.00' East 55o 46.00' North |
| IBA criteria | B2, C6 |
| Area | 3,620 ha |
| Altitude | 150 - 160m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2004 |
Ornithological information An important breeding site for Botaurus stellaris and Larus minutus. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (a few calling males).
Site description A large, swampy wetland of reedbeds, lakes, forests, and meadows. Biržulis lake is very shallow and surrounded by reedbeds. Sterva lake is surrounded by bogs. This IBA was previously known as `Lakes Biržulis and Styrvas' in the previous pan-European inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris | breeding | 1996 | 6-10 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris | breeding | 1999 | 12 males only | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus | breeding | 1999 | 4 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Little Crake Porzana parva | breeding | 1999 | 8 males only | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Spotted Crake Porzana porzana | breeding | 1999 | 25 males only | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Little Gull Larus minutus | breeding | 1996 | 10 breeding pairs | medium | B2 | Least Concern |
| Black Tern Chlidonias niger | breeding | 1997 | 200 breeding pairs | unknown | B2 | Least Concern |
| Black Tern Chlidonias niger | breeding | 1999 | 80 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Bluethroat Luscinia svecica | breeding | 1999 | 6 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birzulio ir Stervo pelkiu kompleksas - LTTELB001 | Birds Directive | 3,620 | is identical to site | 3,620 | |
| Varniai | Regional Park | 16,495 | protected area contains site | 3,620 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland; Native coniferous woodland; Treeline ecotone | 50% |
| Grassland | Humid grasslands | 17% |
| Wetlands (inland) | Fens, transition mires and springs; Raised bogs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | 19% |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Arable land | 15% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| tourism/recreation | - |
| nature conservation and research | 100% |
| agriculture | 15% |
| forestry | - |
| rangeland/pastureland | 17% |
Protection status National High International None16,495 ha of IBA covered by Regional Park (Varniai, 16,495 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Birzulius-Stervas marshes complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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