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close| Location | Iceland, Rangárvallasýsla |
| Central coordinates | 20o 34.00' West 63o 46.00' North |
| IBA criteria | B1i |
| Area | 5,600 ha |
| Altitude | 5 - 43m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information A wide variety of wildfowl and waders breed in the area, and Anas penelope moults on Frakkavatn and Andalækur.
Site description An extensive marsh/mire, dominated by sedge (Carex, Eriophorum), with lakes and pools, 10 km south of the town of Hella in southern Iceland. It stretches from Thykkvabæjarvatn (with surrounding marshes) to Kringlutjörn and Frakkavatn (with surrounding marshes), and includes Andalækur and the area from Vetleifsholtbugaur to Hrútsvatn. This is the southern and western part of Safamýri, formerly one of the richest Carex-Eriophorum marshes in Iceland before its drainage and the damming of the Thverá and Ytri-Rangá rivers. Pond-weed Potamogeton is abundant in Frakkavatn.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | passage | 1991 | 1,000 individuals | - | B1i | Least Concern |
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | passage | 1989 | 200 individuals | - | B1i | Least Concern |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Fens, transition mires and springs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | 100% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| hunting | - |
Management considerations Parts of the site have been severely damaged by drainage and the area is also threatened by further drainage for agricultural purposes. Hunting causes excessive disturbance at the roost sites of Anser albifrons. Only a part of this area is in the Nature Conservation Register. The site is an enlarged and re-named version of the IBA `Safamýri', formerly site 009 in the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989).
Protection status National None International None
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Vetleifsholtsbugar-Thykkvabæjarvatn. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013
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