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DK043
Ringkøbing Fjord
Location Denmark, Ringkøbing Amtskommune
Central coordinates 8o 15.00' East  56o 0.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 27,720 ha
Altitude 0 - 15m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Dansk Ornitologisk Forening



Ornithological information Numbers of many breeding and visiting waterbirds have declined dramatically due to deteriorating water quality. Several species listed on Annex I of the EC Birds Directive breed at the site, including Botaurus stellaris, Circus aeruginosus, Porzana porzana, Recurvirostra avosetta, Philomachus pugnax, Sterna sandvicensis, S. hirundo, S. paradisaea and Asio flammeus.

Site description A shallow brackish fjord, encompassing several small islands, and connected by sluices to the North Sea, with meadows and reedbeds to the south.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus non-breeding  1994  8,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus non-breeding  1994  1,091 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca non-breeding  1994  6,900 individuals  -  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1994  10 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo breeding  1994  1,000 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1994  592-670 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa breeding  1994  266-272 breeding pairs  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  -  1,000 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus breeding  1992  530 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1996  1,024 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds unknown  1994  -  unknown  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Blåbjerg Egekrat, Lyngbos Hede og Hennegårds Klitter - DK00AX172 Habitats Directive 694 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Ringkøbing Fjord - DK00CX043 Birds Directive 28,459 protected area contains site 27,720  
Ringkøbing Fjord og Nymindestrømmen - DK00CY163 Habitats Directive 27,684 protected area contained by site 27,684  
Ringkobing Fjord Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 27,720 protected area overlaps with site 27,720  
Skjern Å - DK00CX162 Habitats Directive 2,580 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Humid grasslands  5%
Wetlands (inland) Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters; Water fringe vegetation  -
Unknown   5%
Coastline Salt marshes  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
unknown 90%

Management considerations Nutrient pollution, as a result of agricultural intensification, has affected water quality at the site: by 1979 the area had been polluted to such an extent that algal blooms had formed, which reduced light and resulted in massive reductions in the extent of submerged macrophytes. In recent years water quality has improved and in some areas bottom macrophytes are recolonizing. An ongoing restoration project in the Skjern å river valley will hopefully further improve water quality, though positive effects on bird populations are expected to take time to become evident.

Protection status National High International High27,520 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Ringkøbing Fjord, 27,520 ha). 27,720 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Ringkøbing Fjord, 27,720 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ringkøbing Fjord. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

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