Enjoy the bird life at Ilmakki peatland protection area

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Peatland protection area

Peatland protection has become important in Lapland. It has extensive peatlands with large forest bogs and several kinds of mire. Peatlands and bogs cover 26 per cent of the Finnish land surface. But drainage of peatlands has greatly reduced the area of undisturbed peatlands, especially since the beginning of the 1960s.

When you go north on the E-75 from Sodankylä about 40 kilmetres you'll find the Ilmakki-aapa protection area which is 5,84 square kilometres.This peatland area is on both sides of the road, but on your left you'll see the blue sign "Lintuluontopolku" which means "Bird Nature Trail". Se photo of the sign below.

Ilmakkiaapa is a Finnish national peat protection area which has a rich avifauna and is a typical Lappland peatland vegetation.

You can enjoy its beauty on the 400 m long boardwalk trail to the bird watchtower next to the lake Ilmakki. Along the trail you'll find information about peatland nature characteristics.
(All photos: Olav E. Johansen/Ossimellom)

Birds

Here are some examples of bird species that can be seen at these Ilmakki peatlands. Finnish names are in paranthesis):

Bean goose (metsähanhi) - anser fabalis

Broad-billed sandpiper (jänkäsirriäinen) - limicola falcinellus

Bunting (pikkusirkku) - emberiza pusilla

Common scoter (mustalintu) - melanitta nigra

Crane (kurki) - grus grus

Goldenplower (kapustarinta) - pluvialis apricaria

Hen harrier (sinisuohaukka) - circus cyaneus

Jack snipe (jänkäkurppa) - lymnocryptes minimus

Little gull (pikkulokki) - larus minutus

Longtailed duck (alli) - clangula hyemalis

Peregrine falcon (muuttohaukka) - falco peregrinus

Red-necked phalarope (vesipääsky) - phalaropus lobatus

Ruff (suokukko) - philomachus pugnax

Smew (uivelo) - mergus albellus

Velvet scoter (pilkkasiipi) - melanitta fusca

Whooper swan - (laulujoutsen) - cygnus cygnus

Read more about Finnish peatlands and peatland protection.

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