Upper Drava River (24016)
Croatia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Gornji tok Drave
Central coordinates: Latitude: 46.1420, Longitude: 17.0870
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 104 to 142
Area of KBA (km2): 229.85286
Protected area coverage (%): 99.87
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The area encompasses the upper strech of the Drava river (from Terezino polje to Donji Miholjac). This is the only extensive area in Croatia with well-developed gravel banks, bars and islands. The river system includes many small tributaries, oxbow lakes, ponds and gravel pits. The area also comprises the pedunculate oak forest Repas, riverine forests (willow and poplar) and agricultural land. It is one of the most important breeding areas for Common and Little Tern. Birds are threatened mainly by river canalization, water pollution, excessive or illegal hunting, agricultural intensification and intensified forest management.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Delineation rationale: 2016-06-20 (BL Secretariat): The year-2000 IBA Poplavno podrucje rijeke Drave / Alluvial wetlands of the River Drava (SitRecID 3610) has been split into three IBAs (proposed SPAs) in 2005: Dravske akumulacije / Stretch of Drava river from Dubrava Krizovljanska to Donja Dubrava (SitRecID 24017), Gornji tok Drave (od Donje Dubrave do Terezinogpolja) / Upper stretch of Drava river (from Donja Dubrava to Terezino fields) (SitRecID 24016) and Srednji tok Drave (od Terezinog polja do Donjeg Miholjca) / Middle stretch of Drava river (from Terezino fields to Donji Miholjac) (SitRecID 24015). Area changed from 21480 ha to 23037 ha, as part of 2010 revision of IBAs/proposed SPAs.