IBA Košická kotlina

Košická kotlina

Districts: Košice – okolie, Košice II
Altitude: 160 m – 365 m
Area: 190,08 km²

Description

It is basin-shaped land with agricultural use. River Hornád flows through the area and gains the tributaries Torysa and Olšava. There can be found a bigger fishpond system (Perín – Chým ponds) and two large gravel pits near river Hornád. In the eastern part basin passes into the foothills of Slanské vrchy mountains, the terrain becomes hilly with meadows and pastures. In the southern part, on the border with Hungary, is Bodvianska pahorkatina heights stretched with extremely valuable meadow and pasture habitats, with remnants of an old orchards and scattered trees. In the flatland parts tree vegetation is represented by old oak forest and by remnants of oak stands near the River Hornád, with very good riverside vegetation. There can be found local complexes of oak-hornbeam forests in the northern parts.

Area protection

IBA Košická kotlina was designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) on January 7, 2008.

Importance

There are hunting and nesting grounds of steppe species of raptors. Important nesting populations of some synantropic bird species that are typical for plain country are located in urban habitats. In the area of Perín – Chým fishponds we can find aquatic bird species breeding. Other species of birds are tied to habitats of meadows, pastures, orchards and deciduous forests.

Qualifying species

Species	Breeding population		Criterion
	Pop.min.	Pop.max.
White Stork – Ciconia ciconia	42	48	C6
Eastern Imperial Eagle – Aquila heliaca	3	3	C1
Saker Falcon – Falco cherrug	3	5	C6

Other important species

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix), Ural Owl (Strix uralensis), Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus)

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