Overview
An area of shallow water with extensive reedbeds, Lake Tåkern is situated in south-central Sweden east of the vast Lake Vättern.
The water level in the lake was lowered many years ago for agricultural purposes and since then the shallow, eutrophic water and its immediate surroundings have attracted birds in large numbers making it a favourite site for Swedish and visiting birders.
As well as Nature Reserve status the area is a Ramsar Site.
Birds
Notable Species
Famed for both breeding birds and migrants the lake is notable for having all five European grebes nesting and for the tens of thousands of passage geese, mainly Bean Goose but usually also Greater White-fronted Goose and sometimes also Lesser White-fronted Goose.
Other breeders include Marsh Harrier and Osprey, Spotted Crake, Black Tern and various ducks and waders. One of Europe's densest populations of Great Bittern is found at Takern.
Passerines include Great Reed Warbler, Bearded Tit and Penduline Tit. In addition to geese the lake is important for passage swans, ducks and raptors. Rough-legged Buzzard and Hen Harrier hunt over the area in winter.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Bittern, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Tundra Bean Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Goosander, White-tailed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Osprey, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Corn Crake, Eurasian Coot, Common Crane, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Great Snipe, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Barn Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Bearded Tit, Penduline Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Great Grey Shrike, Parrot Crossbill, Ortolan Bunting, Reed Bunting
Other Wildlife
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Site Information
History and Use
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Areas of Interest
Kvarnstugan, in the southwest has a field station where limited accommodation may be available.
Access and Facilities
During the breeding season acees to some parts of the reserve is restricted although the observation towers in the north and most marked trails are open to the public.
Takern is reached by leaving the E4 at Odeshog coming from the south or Vaderstad from the north, a network of minor roads surrounds the lake.
Contact Details
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External Links
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Content and images originally posted by Steve