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DK057
Vadehavet (Wadden Sea)
Location Denmark, Ribe Amtskommune,Sønderjyllands Amtskommune
Central coordinates 8o 32.00' East  55o 16.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 115,850 ha
Altitude 0 - 1m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

Dansk Ornitologisk Forening



Ornithological information An extremely important staging area: at least 20 waterbird species congregate in internationally important numbers in winter or on passage, totalling hundreds of thousands of birds. Circus aeruginosus, C. pygargus, Recurvirostra avosetta, Philomachus pugnax, Sterna hirundo, S. paradisaea and S. albifrons, listed on Annex I of the EC Birds Directive, breed at the site, some in large numbers.

Site description The Wadden Sea is characterized by intertidal mud and sandflats between the mainland and the barrier islands. The flats are traversed by deeper water channels. There are coastal marshes grazed by sheep and cattle and reclaimed coastal marshland behind the dykes with permanent grass and some arable land.

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  10,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis non-breeding  1994  7,700 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla non-breeding  1994  15,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna non-breeding  1994  31,200 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope non-breeding  1994  48,700 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta non-breeding  1994  4,000 individuals  medium  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Eider Somateria mollissima non-breeding  1994  42,600 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Black Scoter Melanitta nigra non-breeding  1994  35,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Not Recognised 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus non-breeding  1994  31,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  1994  6,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  1991  1,066 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria non-breeding  1994  43,600 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola non-breeding  1994  5,500 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica non-breeding  1994  35,400 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus non-breeding  1994  1,680 individuals  medium  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus breeding  1991  514 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus non-breeding  1994  24,100 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Sanderling Calidris alba non-breeding  1994  3,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina non-breeding  1994  365,000 individuals  medium  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1991  43 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds non-breeding  1994  -  unknown  A4iii, C3, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Ballum og Husum Enge og Kamper Strandenge - DK009X067 Birds Directive 4,287 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Brede Å - DK009X346 Habitats Directive 36 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Engarealer ved Ho Bugt - DK00AX049 Birds Directive 2,711 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Fanø - DK00AX053 Birds Directive 4,439 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Kallesmærsk Hede og Grærup Langsø - DK00AX050 Birds Directive 6,555 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Kallesmærsk Hede, Grærup Langsø, Fiilsø og Kærgård Klitplantage - DK00AX173 Habitats Directive 11,636 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Mandø - DK00AX052 Birds Directive 854 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Rømø - DK009X065 Birds Directive 6,964 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Ribe Holme og enge med Kongeåens udløb - DK00AX051 Birds Directive 6,701 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Skallingen og Langli - DK00AX055 Birds Directive 2,367 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Vadehavet Major Conservation Area 73,000 protected area contained by site 73,000  
Vadehavet Wildlife Reserve 83,000 protected area overlaps with site 73,780  
Vadehavet (Wadden Sea) Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 150,482 protected area contains site 115,850  
Vadehavet - DK00AY057 Birds Directive 115,671 is identical to site 114,760  
Vadehavet med Ribe Å, Tved Å og Varde Å vest for Varde - DK00AY176 Habitats Directive 134,732 protected area contains site 115,850  
Vidåen, Tøndermarsken og Saltvandssøen - DK009X060 Birds Directive 6,498 protected area is adjacent to site 0  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Coastline Mud flats & sand flats  25%
Sea Sea inlets and coastal features  75%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
unknown -

Protection status National High International High115,850 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Vadehavet, 115,850 ha). 115,850 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Vadehavet (Wadden Sea), 140,830 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Vadehavet (Wadden Sea). Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013

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