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AT004
Neusiedler See
Location Austria, Burgenland
Central coordinates 16o 46.00' East  47o 49.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C6
Area 25,187 ha
Altitude 116 m
Year of IBA assessment 2009

BirdLife Austria



Ornithological information An important site for breeding herons and birds associated with reedbeds.

Site description Lake Neusiedl is the most western shallow steppic lake in Europe. Extensive reedbeds (Phragmites), up to 5 km wide, fringe the lake. Human activities include annual cutting and burning of the reedbeds (`Other' land-use), recreation, fishing and hunting.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greylag Goose Anser anser breeding  1997-2005  500-800 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Garganey Anas querquedula breeding  1997-2005  75-150 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina breeding  1994  100-200 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca resident  1996  150-200 breeding pairs  good  A1, C1  Near Threatened 
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis breeding  1997-2005  500-1,000 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  1998-2003  40-81 adults only  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  2001-2005  20-2,000 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  1995  60 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  1998-2003  1-41 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1998-2004  86-298 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus breeding  1996  642 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1995  100-150 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Little Crake Porzana parva breeding  1997-2005  1,000-2,000 breeding pairs  good  B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana resident  1994  30 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1997-2005  5-10 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  2002-2004  2-7 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  2002-2005  120 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides breeding  1997  1,750 breeding pairs  good  B3  Least Concern 
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon breeding  1997  8,700-15,600 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Reed-warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus breeding  1997  20,500-42,000 breeding pairs  good  C3  Least Concern 
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica breeding  2001-2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  C2, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park 9,691 protected area overlaps with site 4,000  
Neusiedlersee, Seewinkel and Hanság Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 60,000 protected area contains site 23,272  
NP Neusidlersee-Seewinkel Birds Directive 43,978 protected area contains site 23,272  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  100%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture 40%
other 10%
tourism/recreation 5%
nature conservation and research 15%
not utilised 30%

Management considerations The main threats come from the use of the lake for recreation, water pollution from fertilizer inputs and sewage, and infrastructural developments for recreation.

Protection status National High International High4,000 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Neusiedler See-Seewinkel, 7,650 ha). 23,272 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Neusiedlersee, Seewinkel and Hanság, 60,000 ha). 23,272 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel, 41,735 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Neusiedler See. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife