Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information The site supports important numbers of wintering waterbirds (at the reservoirs) and of breeding birds of flooded forest, meadows, and gravel-banks, and is also an important bird-migration route. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Phalacrocorax pygmeus (max. 37 on passage), Aythya nyroca (15-60 on passage). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Sylvia atricapilla (3,000-3,400 pairs), Lanius collurio (420-460 pairs). A total of 266 species have been recorded so far, of which 89 are regular or occasional breeders. Nycticorax nycticorax, Burhinus oedicnemus and Sterna albifrons were lost as breeders at the end of the 1970s after the construction of the last hydroelectric power-station on the river.

Site description The River Drava is the largest river to flow through Slovenia. Due to numerous development schemes in the past, the river and its flood-plains are now one of the most ecologically degraded waterways in the country. The IBA is located between Maribor and Središèe ob Dravi on the Croatian border. Along this section the river is exploited in full, with large reservoirs and associated channels dividing up the entirety of the riverine countryside. Between the reservoirs (Ptujsko jezero, Ormoško jezero) there are still some large flood-plains which are periodically inundated. Flooded woodlands with meadows and wet grasslands are also present.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Drava - SI3000220	Habitats Directive	3,623	protected area overlaps with site	3,609
Drava - SI5000011	Birds Directive	9,007	protected area contained by site	9,007
Haloze - vinorodne - SI3000117	Habitats Directive	6,299	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Krajinski Park Drava	Landscape Park	2,175	protected area contained by site	2,175
Krajinski Park Mariborsko jezero	Landscape Park	200	protected area contained by site	200
Krajinski Park Sturmovec	Landscape Park	215	protected area contained by site	215
Meljski hrib	Nature Reserve	6	protected area contained by site	7
Naravni rezervat Struga	Nature Reserve	10	protected area contained by site	10
Rezervat Ormosko jezero	Nature Reserve	110	protected area contained by site	110
Središèe ob Dravi - Hrašèica - SI3000150	Habitats Directive	161	protected area contained by site	161
xx	Unknown	25	protected area contained by site	25

Habitats

Land use

Management considerations The IBA is particularly threatened by intensive water management and the intensification of agriculture. The growth of tourist activities such as wind-surfing and hunting also causes serious disturbance to birds. DOPPS and Euronatur cooperated to protect the Drava-Mura area (see also `River Mura', IBA 013) between 1992 and 1994. A management plan for the area was prepared, publications were produced to increase public awareness of the area and its importance, a conference on the Drava-Mura Biosphere Reserve was held, and a local ornithological atlas project was initiated.

Protection status National Partial International None2,595 ha of IBA covered by Landscape Parks (Stara Drava, 2,150 ha; Šturmovci, 280 ha), Natural Monument (Ormoško jezero, 140 ha) and smaller protected areas (25 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: River Drava. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

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