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close| Location | Norway, Buskerud,Hordaland,Telemark |
| Central coordinates | 7o 37.00' East 60o 12.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, B1i, B2, B3 |
| Area | 427,200 ha |
| Altitude | 1,000 - 1,500m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information Other breeding species include Gavia arctica, Aquila chrysaetos, Calidris temminckii, Stercorarius longicaudus (the southernmost regular breeding area in Europe), Lagopus lagopus, Lagopus mutus, Plectrophenax nivalis and Calcarius lapponicus. Hardangervidda was also, until recently, a traditional breeding area for Nyctea scandiaca, with up to at least 12-13 pairs in years of high rodent abundance. The last confirmed breeding record was in 1974, and the species appears to have stopped breeding in this area, for unknown reasons (although any records since 1974 may have been kept secret). One hypothesis is that increased tourism and disturbance may have driven the species away, another is that changes in rodent abundance (especially lemmings Lemmus) may have altered the food conditions for the owls in an unfavorable way.
Site description The largest boreal montane plateau in Europe, dominated by undulating terrain with several large lakes. This is a major sheep-grazing area, and there is also tourism and hunting (of reindeer Rangifer tarandus and grouse Lagopus).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus | breeding | 1999 | 20 breeding pairs | poor | B2 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria | breeding | 1999 | 5,000 breeding pairs | good | B3 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus | breeding | 1999 | 2,500 breeding pairs | good | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
| Great Snipe Gallinago media | breeding | 1989 | 70-100 breeding pairs | - | A1, B2 | Near Threatened |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardangervidda | National Park | 344,476 | protected area contained by site | 342,200 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | Scrub | - |
| Grassland | Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | - |
| Rocky areas | Inland cliffs | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| hunting | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
| agriculture | - |
Management considerations Grazing sheep may have affected the vegetation, and thus altered the habitat requirements of many animals in this very fragile ecosystem. Increasing tourism is a potential problem. Studies in boreal montane ecology (including birds) have been carried out by several research institutions, especially the Universities of Bergen and Oslo and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.
Protection status National Partial International None342,200 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Hardangervidda, 342,200 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Hardangervidda. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18/06/2013
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