Inre Kilsviken, Naturreservat

Kilsviken is of great importance for breeding and resting wetland birds. Here you can walk among the pastures, have a coffee at one of the rest areas or visit one of the area's three bird towers.

The rich bird life in Kilsviken is largely a result of farmers creating special shoreline meadow environments through haymaking and grazing for centuries. The result of the influence of livestock and farmers was an environment with a rich meadow flora and insect fauna that is characteristic of a bird-rich wetland. Today, the western parts are grazed by cows and the eastern parts by deer.

The reserve was established to preserve and manage a lake and pasture landscape of great importance for breeding and resting wetland birds, while providing the public with good opportunities to study the area without disturbing bird life. The area is part of the EU's ecological network of protected areas, Natura 2000. Kilsviken is considered an internationally valuable resting place for wetland birds and the government declared the area a Ramsar site in 1988.

Animals and plants

Wetland birds that have returned after decades of absence are now making their mark on the shore meadows of Kilsviken. Characteristic species for the meadows include the greylag goose, teal, shelduck, mallard, dabbling duck and spoonbill, as well as several waders such as the redshank, snipe, greenfinch and lesser sandpiper.

Large flocks of ducks, geese and waders now rest in spring and fall. In early spring in particular, white-tailed eagles regularly patrol the bay and cause a flurry among the seabirds. Interestingly, the area is also home to several species that are dependent on large areas of reeds, such as bearded tits, brown harriers and bitterns.

Before your visit

The nature reserve has marked trails, three bird towers, rest areas, information boards and dry toilets. The distance between parking and the bird towers is about 500-1000 meters. The trails are narrow and the surface is uneven.