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close| Location | Iceland, Austur-Skaftafellssýsla,Vestur-Skaftafellssýsla |
| Central coordinates | 17o 11.00' West 63o 53.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4ii, B1ii, B3 |
| Area | 33,100 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 63m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information Not much information on birds is available for the area apart from Ingólfshöfdi, but the breeding avifauna also includes a good variety of waders and other waterbirds.
Site description A very large glacial outwash plain formed by the Skeidará river, on the south-east coast by Vatnajökull glacier, and including Ingólfshöfdi and its vicinity. There are some small marshes of sedge (Carex, Eriophorum), sandy areas with rushes Juncus, and flat, gravel areas that are partly or completely vegetated.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Skua Stercorarius skua | breeding | 1985 | 1,275-1,560 breeding pairs | - | A4ii, B1ii, B3 | Least Concern |
| Razorbill Alca torda | breeding | 1986 | 4,500 breeding pairs | - | A4ii, B1ii, B3 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingólfshöfð i | Nature Reserve (Landscape) | 90 | protected area contained by site | 90 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Fens, transition mires and springs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater | 20% |
| Coastline | 80% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| tourism/recreation | - |
Management considerations Nootka lupin Lupinus nootkatensis, an introduced plant which is highly invasive, may pose a potential threat to the habitat.
Protection status National Low International None90 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Landscape) (Ingólfshöfdi, 90 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Skeidarársandur. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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