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close| Location | Estonia, Tartu County |
| Central coordinates | 26o 46.00' East 58o 20.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, B1i, C1, C2, C3, C6 |
| Area | 953 ha |
| Altitude | |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2003 |
Ornithological information The area is an important breeding site for several waterbird species of flood-plain wetlands. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (3-5 pairs), Gallinago media (5-10 pairs). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Larus minutus (min. 50 pairs).
Site description A wetland complex on the flood-plain of the Emajõgi river near the town of Tartu in eastern Estonia, with meadows, lakes, rivers, reedbeds, scrub and reseeded grasslands (polders). The main land-uses are haymaking, sand-mining and recreation.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bean Goose Anser fabalis | passage | 2002 | 4,000 individuals | unknown | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | passage | 2002 | 10,000 individuals | unknown | B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus | passage | 2002 | 450 individuals | unknown | A4i, B1i, C2 | Least Concern |
| Corncrake Crex crex | breeding | 2002 | 70-80 breeding pairs | unknown | A1, C1 | Least Concern |
| Little Crake Porzana parva | breeding | 2002 | 15 breeding pairs | unknown | C6 | Least Concern |
| Spotted Crake Porzana porzana | breeding | 2002 | 200-300 breeding pairs | unknown | C6 | Least Concern |
| Great Snipe Gallinago media | breeding | 2000-2002 | 10-15 males only | unknown | C6 | Near Threatened |
| Black Tern Chlidonias niger | breeding | 1999-2002 | 90-200 breeding pairs | unknown | C6 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ropka-Ihaste - EE0080313 | Birds Directive | 755 | protected area contained by site | 755 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Broadleaved deciduous woodland | 3% |
| Shrubland | 30% | |
| Grassland | Humid grasslands | 36% |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | 31% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 35% |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| forestry | 3% |
| nature conservation and research | 72% |
Management considerations Major threats are posed by nutrient pollution (due to effluents from Tartu town and fertilizer run-off), overgrowth of meadows with scrub due to reduced haymaking, disturbance of birds by angling, recreation/tourism, fuel-oil pollution from boats, unsustainable hunting, drainage and canalization. The area is a proposed Protected Landscape. An inventory of breeding and migrating birds was completed in 1992.
Protection status National None International None
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ropka-Ihaste. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
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