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EE021
Siiksaare-Oessaare bays
Location Estonia, Saare County
Central coordinates 22o 53.00' East  58o 18.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, B1i, C2, C3, C6
Area 3,902 ha
Altitude
Year of IBA assessment 2003

Eesti Ornitiliigiaühing (EOÜ)



Ornithological information A diverse selection of migratory waterbirds use the site for staging and/or breeding, with important numbers of several species. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Grus grus (10 pairs), Larus canus (min. 400 pairs), Larus marinus (20 pairs).

Site description A complex of shallow (<2 m) bays and relict lakes on the southern coast of Saaremaa island, with small islets, vast reedbeds, coastal meadows and saltmarshes. The main economic activities are fishing, sheep-grazing and forestry.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greylag Goose Anser anser passage  1993-2000  300 individuals  unknown  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis passage  1991-1999  3,000-5,300 individuals  unknown  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus passage  1995-2000  180 individuals  unknown  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera breeding  1996-1997  140 breeding pairs  unknown  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera passage  1995-1999  300-500 individuals  unknown  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus breeding  1996-1998  15 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Little Crake Porzana parva breeding  1996  3 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina breeding  1996-1997  15 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Little Gull Larus minutus breeding  1996-1997  25 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1996-1997  70 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea breeding  1993-1997  155-210 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1993-1999  5-10 breeding pairs  unknown  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Laidevahe Nature Reserve Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 2,424 protected area contained by site 2,442  
Nässumaa - EE0040445 Habitats Directive 273 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Siiksaare-Oessaare - EE0040469 Birds Directive 3,952 protected area overlaps with site 3,874  
West Estonian Archipelago UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 1,560,000 protected area contains site 3,902  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Native coniferous woodland  14%
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Sea   41%
Grassland   4%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  2%
Shrubland   13%
Coastline Lagoons  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 5%
fisheries/aquaculture 20%
forestry -
nature conservation and research 99%
hunting -
tourism/recreation -

Management considerations The main threats are unsustainable hunting, intensive fishing, overgrowth of coastal meadows with reed Phragmites due to undergrazing, and tourism. The IBA is a planned core area of the West Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, and is also a potential Ramsar Site. Research involves monitoring of migrating waterbirds.

Protection status National None International High2,917 ha of IBA covered by Biosphere Reserve (West Estonian Archipelago, 1,560,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Siiksaare-Oessaare bays. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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