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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	460 individuals	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	482 individuals	B2, C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	4,530 individuals	C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	570 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,286 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	763 individuals	B2
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter	2001-2006	16 individuals	C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,972 individuals	B1i, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	113 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2006	50 breeding pairs	B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	44,175 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
Branta bernicla	Brent Goose	5400	4615	individuals	86	near favourable
Anas crecca		4020	3630	individuals	91	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	210	460	individuals	100	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	290	482	individuals	100	favourable
Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover	1970	3126	individuals	100	favourable
Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover	2490	1101	individuals	45	unfavourable
Pluvialis apricaria	Eurasian Golden Plover	3270	4530	individuals	100	favourable
Charadrius hiaticula	Common Ringed Plover	1180	570	individuals	49	unfavourable
Charadrius hiaticula	Common Ringed Plover	640	497	individuals	78	near favourable
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	660	1286	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa lapponica	Bar-tailed Godwit	380	763	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	1520	399	individuals	27	very unfavourable
Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	1620	180	individuals	12	very unfavourable
Calidris pugnax	Ruff	44	16	individuals	37	very unfavourable
Calidris alpina	Dunlin	6000	4619	individuals	77	near favourable
Tringa totanus	Common Redshank	1430	1972	individuals	100	favourable
Sternula albifrons	Little Tern	113	50	breeding pairs	45	unfavourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	38543	44175	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	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

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	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 Naze	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	25	protected area overlaps with site	0
Hamford Water	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	3,533	protected area contains site	2,187
Hamford Water	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2,187	protected area overlaps with site	2,187
Hamford Water	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2,188	protected area overlaps with site	2,187
Hamford Water	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	50	protected area contained by site	0
Hamford Water	National Nature Reserve	1,427	protected area overlaps with site	1,418
Hamford Water	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0

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

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

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hamford Water. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hamford-water-iba-united-kingdom on 02/12/2023.