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BE044
Hautes Fagnes/Eifel
Location Belgium, Région Wallonne
Central coordinates 6o 15.00' East  50o 24.00' North
IBA criteria A4i, B1i, B1iv, C2, C5, C6
Area 80,304 ha
Altitude
Year of IBA assessment 2000

BirdLife Belgium



Ornithological information Species listed on Annex I of the EC Birds Directive occurring on passage or wintering include Circus aeruginosus, Falco columbarius, Pandion haliaetus and Grus grus.

Site description The site includes the high plateau of the eastern Ardennes, covered by peatbogs, fens and woodland.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix resident  -  25-35 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus breeding  -  15-30 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Red Kite Milvus milvus breeding  -  20-30 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Near Threatened 
Corncrake Crex crex breeding  -  2 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus passage  -  5,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Black woodpecker Dryocopus martius resident  -  10-20 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Grey-faced Woodpecker Picus canus resident  -  6-15 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio breeding  -  100 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Wood Lark Lullula arborea breeding  -  10-20 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Affluents de l'Our entre Setz et Schoenberg (Amel; Sankt Vith) - BE33061C0 Birds Directive 236 protected area contained by site 236  
Affluents du lac d'Eupen (Eupen; Raeren) - BE33020A0 Birds Directive 47 protected area contained by site 47  
Affluents du lac d'Eupen (Eupen; Raeren) - BE33020B0 Habitats Directive 498 protected area contained by site 498  
Camp militaire d'Elsenborn (Büllingen; Bütgenbach) - BE33037C0 Birds Directive 2,559 protected area contained by site 2,559  
Fagnes de la Polleur et de Malmedy (Malmedy; Waimes) - BE33041C0 Birds Directive 1,092 protected area contained by site 1,092  
Fagnes de la Roer (Bütgenbach; Waimes) - BE33036A0 Birds Directive 1,144 protected area contained by site 1,144  
Fagnes de la Roer (Bütgenbach; Waimes) - BE33036B0 Habitats Directive 1,296 protected area contained by site 1,296  
Fagnes de Stavelot et vallée de l'Eau Rouge (Jalhay; Malmedy; Stavelot) - BE33040A0 Birds Directive 1,241 protected area overlaps with site 1,038  
Fagnes de Stavelot et vallée de l'Eau Rouge (Jalhay; Malmedy; Stavelot) - BE33040B0 Habitats Directive 1,258 protected area overlaps with site 1,038  
Fagnes du Nord-Est (Eupen; Raeren; Waimes) - BE33025A0 Birds Directive 2,357 protected area contained by site 2,357  
Fagnes du Nord-Est (Eupen; Raeren; Waimes) - BE33025B0 Habitats Directive 2,356 protected area contained by site 2,356  
Haute vallée de l'Amblève entre Heppenbach et Montenau (Amel) - BE33056A0 Birds Directive 388 protected area overlaps with site 273  
Haute vallée de l'Amblève entre Heppenbach et Montenau (Amel) - BE33056B0 Habitats Directive 385 protected area overlaps with site 270  
La Gileppe (Baelen; Jalhay; Limbourg) - BE33022A0 Birds Directive 1,186 protected area contained by site 1,186  
La Gileppe (Baelen; Jalhay; Limbourg) - BE33022B0 Habitats Directive 1,156 protected area contained by site 1,156  
Nature reserves in Hautes Fagnes Eiffel Nature Reserve 4,448 protected area contained by site 4,448  
Osthertogenwald autour de Raeren (Raeren) - BE33021A0 Birds Directive 297 protected area overlaps with site 243  
Osthertogenwald autour de Raeren (Raeren) - BE33021B0 Habitats Directive 403 protected area overlaps with site 243  
Plateau des Hautes-Fagnes (Baelen; Jalhay; Malmedy; Waimes) - BE33035C0 Birds Directive 3,990 protected area contained by site 3,990  
PREV CODE 034 Nature Park 0 protected area overlaps with site 67,800  
Sources de l'Our et de l'Ensebach (Büllingen) - BE33059A0 Birds Directive 292 protected area contained by site 292  
Sources de l'Our et de l'Ensebach (Büllingen) - BE33059B0 Habitats Directive 258 protected area contained by site 258  
Vallée de l'Emmels (Amel) - BE33055C0 Birds Directive 310 protected area overlaps with site 76  
Vallée de l'Olefbach (Büllingen) - BE33039C0 Birds Directive 715 protected area contained by site 715  
Vallée de l'Ulf (Burg-Reuland; Gouvy) - BE33064C0 Birds Directive 291 protected area overlaps with site 219  
Vallée de la Helle (Baelen; Eupen; Waimes) - BE33024C0 Birds Directive 760 protected area contained by site 760  
Vallée de la Hoêgne (Jalhay) - BE33034A0 Birds Directive 609 protected area overlaps with site 409  
Vallée de la Hoêgne (Jalhay) - BE33034B0 Habitats Directive 502 protected area overlaps with site 318  
Vallée de la Holzwarche (Büllingen) - BE33047C0 Birds Directive 336 protected area contained by site 336  
Vallée de la Schwalm (Büllingen; Bütgenbach) - BE33038A0 Birds Directive 659 protected area contained by site 659  
Vallée de la Schwalm (Büllingen; Bütgenbach) - BE33038B0 Habitats Directive 635 protected area contained by site 635  
Vallée de la Soor (Baelen; Eupen) - BE33023C0 Birds Directive 447 protected area contained by site 447  
Vallée de la Vesdre entre Eupen et Verviers (Baelen; Dison; Limbourg; Verviers) - BE33019B0 Habitats Directive 529 protected area overlaps with site 400  
Vallée de la Vesdre entre Eupen et Verviers (Baelen; Limbourg) - BE33019A0 Birds Directive 465 protected area overlaps with site 420  
Vallée de la Warche en amont de Butgenbach (Büllingen; Bütgenbach) - BE33046A0 Birds Directive 306 protected area contained by site 306  
Vallée de la Warche en amont de Butgenbach (Büllingen; Bütgenbach) - BE33046B0 Habitats Directive 297 protected area contained by site 297  
Vallée de la Warche entre Butgenbach et Robertville (Bütgenbach; Waimes) - BE33043A0 Birds Directive 234 protected area overlaps with site 204  
Vallée de la Warche entre Butgenbach et Robertville (Bütgenbach; Waimes) - BE33043B0 Habitats Directive 157 protected area overlaps with site 127  
Vallée du Kolvenderbach (Amel; Büllingen) - BE33057A0 Birds Directive 191 protected area contained by site 191  
Vallée du Kolvenderbach (Amel; Büllingen) - BE33057B0 Habitats Directive 185 protected area contained by site 185  
Vallée du Medemberbach (Büllingen) - BE33058C0 Birds Directive 258 protected area contained by site 258  
Vallée et affluents du Braunlauf (Burg-Reuland; Gouvy; Sankt Vith) - BE33063C0 Birds Directive 286 protected area overlaps with site 62  
Vallée inférieure de l'Our et ses affluents (Burg-Reuland; Sankt Vith) - BE33065A0 Birds Directive 154 protected area contained by site 154  
Vallée inférieure de l'Our et ses affluents (Burg-Reuland; Sankt Vith) - BE33065B0 Habitats Directive 637 protected area contained by site 637  
Vallée supérieure de l'Our et ses affluents (Amel; Büllingen; Sankt Vith) - BE33062C0 Birds Directive 396 protected area contained by site 396  
Vallées de la Warche et du Bayehon en aval du barrage de Robertville (Malmedy; Waimes) - BE33042C0 Birds Directive 461 protected area contained by site 461  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest; Broadleaved deciduous woodland  20%
Shrubland Heathland; Scrub  2%
Grassland Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Dry siliceous grassland; Humid grasslands; Mesophile grasslands  5%
Wetlands (inland) Fens, transition mires and springs; Raised bogs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Forestry plantations; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes; Other urban and industrial areas; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Urban parks and gardens  60%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 20%
forestry 60%
hunting 90%
military 4%
nature conservation and research 10%
tourism/recreation 90%
urban/industrial/transport 5%
water management 5%

Protection status National Partial International High4,448 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Nature Reserves in Hautes Fagnes Eiffel, 4,448 ha). 67,800 ha of IBA covered by Natural Park. 80,304 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Hautes Fagnes/Eifel, 80,304 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Hautes Fagnes/Eifel. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18/06/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife