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close| Location | Iceland, Austur-Skaftafellssýsla |
| Central coordinates | 14o 40.00' West 64o 25.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, B1i, B3 |
| Area | 2,700 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 10m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information Over 3,000 staging waders were recorded here during an aerial survey in May 1990. There has been no regular counting of birds at the site, apart from moulting Cygnus cygnus (annually since 1992).
Site description A brackish coastal lagoon with intertidal mudflats about 30 km north-east of Hornafjardarbær (Höfn) town, south-east Iceland. There are extensive beds of aquatic plants (Ruppia, eel-grass Zostera and algae). The area is surrounded by farms, grasslands and marshes. The marshes are grazed, and there is fishing in the lagoon (nets and traps).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | non-breeding | - | 2,000-4,000 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, B3 | Least Concern |
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | passage | 1995 | 7,000-8,000 individuals | - | A4i, B1i | Least Concern |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing brackish and salt water | 100% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
Management considerations Nutrient run-off from adjacent hayfields, which are fertilized on a regular basis, could affect the water quality in the lagoon. The area is on the list of sites of conservation interest in the Nature Conservation Register.
Protection status National None International None
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lónsfjördur. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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