email a friend
printable version
HR011
Alluvial wetlands of the River Drava
Location Croatia, Koprivnicko-krizevacka zupanija,Osjecko-baranjska zupanija,Viroviticko-podravska zupanija
Central coordinates 17o 15.00' East  45o 55.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2
Area 68,002 ha
Altitude 85 - 130m
Year of IBA assessment 2000





Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding herons and storks.

Site description Natural alluvial landscapes along the River Drava from the mouth of the River Mura, east to its mouth with the River Danube. Area includes extensive alluvial Quercus forests, wet meadows, pastures, and small freshwater wetlands. The river has created 40-m-high cliffs and numerous meanders, as well as gravel islands.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca breeding  -  100-200 breeding pairs  medium  A1, A4i, B1i, B2  Near Threatened 
Black Stork Ciconia nigra breeding  -  10-41 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia breeding  -  100-120 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  -  5-31 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  -  10-43 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  -  200-423 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  -  5-22 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  -  144 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo resident  -  2,000 breeding pairs  good  A4i  Least Concern 
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla resident  -  10-27 breeding pairs  medium  A1, B2  Least Concern 
Sand Martin Riparia riparia breeding  -  4,000-4,700 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds breeding  -  20,000 individuals  unknown  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Repas Nature Park Nature Park 3,886 protected area contained by site 0  
Veliki Pazut Special Reserve 1,000 protected area contained by site 700  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland  40%
Grassland Humid grasslands  10%
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  25%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Other urban and industrial areas; Perennial crops, orchards and groves  25%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 60%
forestry 40%
water management 10%
hunting -

Management considerations There are plans to build power-stations along the River Drava and to canalize parts of the river. Gravel mining is a further threat. A joint conservation project between Austrian, Slovenian, Hungarian and Croatian NGOs, under the leadership of Euronatur, has proposed the whole area for protection.

Protection status National Low International None3,886 ha of IBA covered by Nature Park (Repas Nature Park). 700 ha of IBA covered by Special Reserve (Veliki Pazut, 700 ha).

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Alluvial wetlands of the River Drava. 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