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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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	2001-2006	610 individuals	B1i, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	winter	2001-2006	616 individuals	B1i, B2, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	winter	2001-2006	177 individuals	B1i, C2
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage	2001-2006	33,951 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	27,775 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	44,226 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	41,085 individuals	A4iii, C4

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)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Cygnus cygnus	Whooper Swan	155	610	individuals	100	favourable
Branta leucopsis	Barnacle Goose	130	177	individuals	100	favourable
Anser anser	Greylag Goose	2270	619	individuals	28	very unfavourable
Anser brachyrhynchus	Pink-footed Goose	32500	27775	individuals	86	near favourable
Thalasseus sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	480	0	breeding pairs	0	very unfavourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	42802	41085	individuals	96	favourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protection status:

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Loch of Strathbeg	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	616	is identical to site	613
Loch of Strathbeg	RSPB Reserve	892	protected area overlaps with site	503
Loch Of Strathbeg	Nature Reserve	895	protected area overlaps with site	0
Loch of Strathbeg	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	616	protected area overlaps with site	613
Loch of Strathbeg	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	955	protected area overlaps with site	613

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)	Sand dunes and beaches, Standing freshwater, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

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

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2021) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Loch of Strathbeg. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 08/03/2021.