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close| Location | Albania, Shkodër |
| Central coordinates | 19o 20.00' East 42o 10.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i |
| Area | 14,000 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 10m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information This is an important site for wintering waterfowl, especially Phalacrocorax pygmeus and Phalacrocorax carbo. Several wintering waterfowl counts have been carried out; about 13,000 wintering waterfowl were counted in January 1995 and 1996, and 30,682 waterbirds (representing 26 species) were counted during 2-19 January 1997. Wetlands International have carried out earlier counts on the Montenegro side of the lake.
Site description A large freshwater lake in north-east Albania (also known as Lake Scutari), on the border with Yugoslavia (Montenegro). Oligotrophic and generally shallow except for a few very deep parts. Approximately one third of the lake lies within Albania, the remainder lies in Montenegro (Skadarsko Jezero, site 038). The main human activities are fisheries, extensive agriculture, hunting and tourism. Fisheries are the most important activity and in places are very intensive.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus | winter | 1996 | 596-1,073 individuals | good | A1, A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus | non-breeding | 1995 | 150 individuals | medium | A1 | Least Concern |
| Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo | winter | 1996 | 97-1,526 individuals | good | B1i | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | unknown | 1995-1996 | 20,000 individuals | unknown | A4iii |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Shkodra and River Buna | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 49,562 | protected area contains site | 14,000 |
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| Pjesa shqiptare e Liqenit te Shkodres | National Park | 26,535 | protected area contains site | 14,000 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | - | |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | - |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Arable land; Ruderal land | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| hunting | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Management considerations The main threats are land claim for agricultural purposes, and hunting. The lake shores in the Albanian sector have been heavily claimed and have lost most of their original natural value, now being used intensively for agriculture, mainly cattle-grazing, which is also a cause of disturbance. Hunting is also a serious problem with 150 shooting hides recorded along 3 km of shoreline in 1993, and the number increased in 1995 and 1996.
Protection status National None International None
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lake Shkodra (Lake Scadar). 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
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