Päätyeenlahti bay (1323)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Päätyeenlahti
Central coordinates: Latitude: 62.1167, Longitude: 30.1333
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 70 to 70
Area of KBA (km2): 3.55709
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Päätyeenlahti is a long and shallow bay on Kiteenjärvi lake, with <I>Equisetum</I> and <I>Phragmites</I> beds and abundant floating vegetation, which covers the bay in August. The shores of the bay are mainly bordered by open, semi-natural and agricultural habitats with settlements and two roads. There are also smaller areas of<I> Salix</I> bushes and stands of mixed forest.</P>
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: An important breeding area for wetland birds, including one of the largest colonies of <I>Larus minutus</I> in Finland.</P>
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 75 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area has suffered to some extent from fishing and recreational boating, and hunting pressure (`Disturbance to birds' threat) is heavy in autumn. Other threats are the overgrowth of the wetland with vegetation and the impact of sewage effluents discharged into the area. There are two birdwatching towers in the area.</P>
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership