Lake Tåkern is one of the most important staging sites for Common Cranes, Geese and ducks in Sweden and an internationally important wetland for wetland birds. The nature reserve is a Natura 2000 area and is assigned under the Ramsar convention of wetlands.
The Reserve is 54 km2 and the lake is about 45 km2.
Huge reed areas of about 15 km2 surround the lakes edges. Tåkern is a very shallow lake with a mean depth of 0,8 meters only. The lake has a rich underwater vegetation dominated by myriophyllum and potamogeton.
The surroundings consists of grazed wet meadows and wet forests. A total of 270 bird species have been observed. The reed-living birds are specially dominant with 50 pairs of Bitterns and Marsh Harriers respectively and around 250 Great Reed Warblers. The breeding population of Cranes is increasing and is now about 25 pairs.
Furthermore, Tåkern is a key area also for waders, birds of prey (e.g. Osprey, Hobby and White-tailed eagle), and staging geese such as Bean Geese Anser fabalis fabailis, Greylag Geese Anser anser, Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus and White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons.
A new popular Visitor Center was established in 2011 – naturum Tåkern.
Furthermore, Tåkern is a key area also for waders, birds of prey (e.g. Osprey, Hobby and White-tailed eagle), and staging geese such as Bean Geese Anser fabalis fabailis, Greylag Geese Anser anser, Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus and White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons.
A new popular Visitor Center was established in 2011 – naturum Tåkern.