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• Text account
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• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s)	Population estimate at site	IBA criteria met
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	91 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	255 individuals	B2, C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	1990	4 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	20,543 individuals	A4iii, C4

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2007).

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	83	255	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - dams (size unknown)	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	other ecosystem modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Pollution	agricultural & forestry effluents - nutrient loads	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Sutton Hoo	Nature Reserve	98	protected area overlaps with site	0
Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	40,510	protected area contains site	977
Suffolk Coast	Heritage Coast	0	protected area overlaps with site	388
Suffolk	Heritage Coast	20,697	protected area overlaps with site	0
Ramsholt Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2	protected area contained by site	0
Ferry Cliff, Sutton	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3	protected area overlaps with site	0
Deben Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	981	protected area overlaps with site	977
Deben Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	979	protected area overlaps with site	977
Deben Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	981	is identical to site	977
Deben Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Marine Intertidal		-
Shrubland	Scrub	-
Marine Neritic		-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Deben Estuary. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/deben-estuary-iba-united-kingdom on 01/12/2023.