Tåkern

Infobox_lake
lake_name = Tåkern
image_lake =
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Östergötland County
coords = coord|58|21|N|14|48|E|region:SE_type:waterbody|display=inline,title
type =
inflow =
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries = Sweden
length = 12 km
width = 8 km
area =
depth = 0.8 m
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities = Location map skew
SwedenCIAx
label=Lake Tåkern | label_size=77
background = #8888EE | pos=top
mark=Blue_pog.svg| marksize=8
lat_deg=58 | lat_min=21 | lon_deg=14 | lon_min=48
caption = Lake Tåkern in Sweden
float=right | width=220Lake Tåkern is a lake in Östergötland County, Sweden. It is considered one of northern Europe's foremost bird lakes. It is 12 km (7.5 mi) long and 8 km (5 mi) wide, with an average depth only 0.8 metres (2.6 ft). The lake lies around 20 km (12.4 mi) west of Mjölby, bordering in the west to Omberg. The whole lake, with the surrounding beaches, has been a nature reserve since 1975. From April to the end of July, it is not open to the public, except for visiting areas and walking routes.

The lake's history as a birdlake is related to the lake's water level lowering between 1842-1844. A number of bird species benefitted from this. A change of the water level in the 1960s was made to prevent large differences in the water level.

Tåkern is in Ramsar Convention, an international convention for protection of valuable wetlands.

See also

* Nearby lakes: Lake Vättern, Lake Vänern.

External links

* [http://www.takern.se Tåkerns fältstation (Swedish)]
* [http://www.naturus.se Naturus-Tåkerns trädgård (Swedish)]