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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 estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata	LC	breeding	1995	80 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Arctic Loon Gavia arctica	LC	breeding	1995	12 breeding pairs	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	resident	2004	1,602 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Dunlin Calidris alpina	LC	breeding	2004	4,386 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	resident	2003	7 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	resident	2004	29 breeding pairs	C6

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat Level 1	Threat Level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	fire & fire suppression - increase in fire frequency/intensity	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Gavia stellata	Red-throated Loon	57	80	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Gavia arctica	Arctic Loon	12	10	breeding pairs	84	near favourable
Pluvialis apricaria	Eurasian Golden Plover	1800	1602	breeding pairs	89	near favourable
Calidris alpina	Dunlin	3650	4386	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Aquila chrysaetos	Golden Eagle	6	7	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Falco columbarius	Merlin	20	29	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protection status:

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist	National Scenic Area	202,123	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Loch Scarrasdale Valley Bog	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	218	protected area contained by site	0
Loch nan Eilean Valley Bog	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	32	protected area contained by site	0
Loch Laxavat Ard and Loch Laxavat Iorach	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	271	protected area contained by site	0
Lewis Peatlands	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	27,955	protected area contained by site	27,946
Lewis Peatlands	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	58,984	is identical to site	58,634
Lewis Peatlands	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	58,960	is identical to site	58,634
Langavat	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,471	protected area overlaps with site	0
Achmore Bog	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	297	protected area contained by site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Shrubland	Heathland, Scrub	-
Grassland		-
Wetlands (inland)	Fens, transition mires and springs, Standing freshwater, Blanket bogs	-
Coastline	Scree and boulders	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
forestry	-

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2021) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lewis Peatlands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 27/01/2021.