email a friend
printable version
close| Location | Sweden, Norrbotten |
| Central coordinates | 18o 52.26' East 67o 27.17' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A3, B2, C1, C6 |
| Area | 281,000 ha |
| Altitude | 368 - 1,844m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information The IBA is important for breeding wetland and forest species, including a diversity of raptors. Breeding birds include eight out of the 15 species in Europe that are restricted (when breeding) to the boreal biome. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Gallinago media (three breeding pairs). Numbers of birds given as breeding in the IBA are probably underestimates due to the size of the survey area.
Site description An extensive, largely untouched wilderness area with a wide range of habitats dominated by wetlands, with forest to the east and mountainous territory to the west. The main wetlands comprise open marshes, shallow lakes and wet Betula forest. There are 44,000 ha of virgin Picea and Pinus forest in the drier areas.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus | breeding | 1996 | 5 breeding pairs | good | A1, C1 | Vulnerable |
| Smew Mergellus albellus | breeding | 1996 | 5 breeding pairs | good | A3, B2 | Least Concern |
| Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus | breeding | 1996 | 4 breeding pairs | medium | A3 | Least Concern |
| Merlin Falco columbarius | breeding | 1996 | 5-20 breeding pairs | good | C6 | Least Concern |
| Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus | breeding | 1996 | 1-2 breeding pairs | good | B2 | Least Concern |
| White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla | breeding | 1996 | 3-5 breeding pairs | good | A1, B2, C1, C6 | Least Concern |
| Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus | breeding | 1996 | 5-15 breeding pairs | good | B2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos | breeding | 1996 | 2-6 breeding pairs | good | B2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus | breeding | 1996 | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa | breeding | 1996 | 1 breeding pairs | medium | A3 | Least Concern |
| Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula | breeding | 1996 | 15 breeding pairs | medium | A3 | Least Concern |
| Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus | breeding | 1996 | 5-15 breeding pairs | medium | C6 | Least Concern |
| Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus | breeding | 1996 | 30 breeding pairs | medium | B2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis | breeding | 1996 | 2 breeding pairs | good | A3 | Least Concern |
| Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator | breeding | 1996 | 2-12 breeding pairs | medium | A3 | Least Concern |
| Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica | breeding | - | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaitum fjällurskog | Nature Reserve | 89,955 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
|
| Kaitum fjällurskog - SE0820204 | Habitats Directive | 89,955 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Laponian Area | World Heritage Site | 933,408 | protected area contains site | 281,000 |
|
| Lina fjällurskog | Nature Reserve | 98,048 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
|
| Lina fjällurskog - SE0820209 | Habitats Directive | 98,050 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Sjaunja | Nature Reserve | 281,745 | is identical to site | 281,000 |
|
| Sjaunja | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 188,600 | protected area contained by site | 188,600 |
|
| Sjaunja - SE0820216 | Birds Directive | 281,371 | is identical to site | 281,000 | |
| Stora Sjöfallet - SE0820202 | Habitats Directive | 127,993 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Stubba - SE0820193 | Habitats Directive | 33,286 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 | |
| Torne och Kalix älvsystem - SE0820430 | Habitats Directive | 176,092 | protected area is adjacent to site | 0 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Alluvial and very wet forest; Mixed woodland; Native coniferous woodland; Treeline ecotone; Wooded tundra | 20% |
| Shrubland | Heathland | 10% |
| Grassland | Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Tundra | 10% |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | 60% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| forestry | 5% |
| hunting | 100% |
| military | 100% |
| nature conservation and research | 100% |
| urban/industrial/transport | 5% |
Management considerations Attempts have been made to start mineral exploration in the IBA˜these are currently on hold for economic reasons. Proposals have been put forward by the Swedish EPA to designate the area as a National Park.
Protection status National High International HighIBA overlaps with Nature Reserve (285,000 ha). 188,600 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Sjaunja, 188,600 ha). 208,000 ha of IBA covered by World Heritage Site (Lapponia, 940,000 ha). IBA overlaps with Special Protection Area (281,000 ha).
Contribute Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.
Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sjaunja. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
|
|