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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2007

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population at site	IBA criteria triggered
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter	2001-2006	78 individuals	B2, C6
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage	2001-2006	11,669 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,968 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,129 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,495 individuals	B1i, C3
Haematopus ostralegus	NR	passage	2001-2006	19,328 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Haematopus ostralegus	NR	winter	2001-2006	19,316 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	4,829 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,819 individuals	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	4,390 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	4,559 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	8,766 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	LC	winter	2001-2006	13,700 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	8,815 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,020 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	75 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	1999-2004	84 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	1999-2004	547 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	1998-2003	516 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	75,331 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	86,342 individuals	A4iii, C4

Note: The current IUCN Red List category may differ from the category that was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment.

For more information about the IBA criteria, please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	marine and freshwater aquaculture - industrial aquaculture	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: large scale	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium

Condition of the site (state), by species
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Cygnus columbianus	Tundra Swan	54	78	individuals	100	favourable
Tadorna tadorna	Common Shelduck	7000	5968	individuals	86	near favourable
Anas acuta	Northern Pintail	7200	5495	individuals	77	near favourable
Anas acuta	Northern Pintail	7200	5495	individuals	77	near favourable
Anas crecca		5950	2722	individuals	46	unfavourable
Haematopus ostralegus	Eurasian Oystercatcher	28200	19328	individuals	69	unfavourable
Haematopus ostralegus	Eurasian Oystercatcher	30200	19316	individuals	64	unfavourable
Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover	1940	593	individuals	31	very unfavourable
Charadrius hiaticula	Common Ringed Plover	535	318	individuals	60	unfavourable
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	3860	2819	individuals	74	near favourable
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	4740	4829	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa lapponica	Bar-tailed Godwit	935	169	individuals	19	very unfavourable
Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	1620	4390	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	1610	4559	individuals	100	favourable
Calidris canutus	Red Knot	5900	2463	individuals	42	unfavourable
Calidris canutus	Red Knot	19300	8766	individuals	46	unfavourable
Calidris alpina	Dunlin	23800	13700	individuals	58	unfavourable
Tringa totanus	Common Redshank	7250	5020	individuals	70	near favourable
Tringa totanus	Common Redshank	8350	8815	individuals	100	favourable
Sternula albifrons	Little Tern	65	84	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	64507	75331	individuals	100	favourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	126157	86342	individuals	69	unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at the site (response)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

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)
The Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2,078	protected area is adjacent to site	0
The Dee Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	14,295	protected area contains site	13,142
The Dee Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	14,302	protected area contains site	13,085
The Dee Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area contained by site	0
Red Rocks	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	11	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Wirral Foreshore	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,963	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	2,000	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	2,078	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Liverpool Bay / Bae Lerpwl	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Liverpool Bay / Bae Lerpwl	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	252,758	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Hilbre Islands	Local Nature Reserve	54	protected area contained by site	0
Gronant Dunes and Talacre Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	519	protected area overlaps with site	0
GRONANT DUNES	Local Nature Reserve	188	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dee Estuary/Aber Afon Dyfrdwy	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	7,409	protected area overlaps with site	8,443
Dee Estuary/ Aber Dyfrdwy	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	15,805	protected area contains site	0
Dee Estuary / Aber Dyfrdwy	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dee Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	6,324	protected area contained by site	5,241
Dee Estuary	RSPB Reserve	5,493	protected area overlaps with site	5,347
Dee Estuary	Nature Reserve	6,093	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dee Cliffs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	15	protected area overlaps with site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)	Water fringe vegetation	-
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

For further information about the IUCN habitat classification, please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-

For further information about the land-use classification, please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dee Estuary. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/2454 on 01/06/2023.