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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	68 individuals	C6
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,434 individuals	B1i, C3
White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,738 individuals	B2
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	winter	2001-2006	782 individuals	B2
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	passage	2001-2006	31,016 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	2001-2006	16,709 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,160 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,107 individuals	B1i, C3
Haematopus ostralegus	NR	passage	2001-2006	9,116 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	3,719 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	3,615 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,279 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	3,494 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	8,150 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,131 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	4,287 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus	LC	breeding	1999-2000	230 breeding pairs	B3
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	527 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	71,037 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	87,459 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
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Whiteness Head	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	351	protected area overlaps with site	0
Tarbat Ness	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	57	protected area overlaps with site	0
Strathfleet	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	133	protected area overlaps with site	0
Spey Bay	Nature Reserve	120	protected area overlaps with site	0
Spey Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	456	protected area overlaps with site	0
River Spey	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	5,760	protected area overlaps with site	0
River Spey	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,960	protected area overlaps with site	0
Nigg and Udale Bays	RSPB Reserve	1,606	protected area overlaps with site	1,482
Nigg & Udale Bays	Nature Reserve	1,606	protected area overlaps with site	0
Munlochy Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	301	protected area overlaps with site	0
Mound Alderwoods	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	300	protected area contained by site	0
Mound Alderwoods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	300	protected area overlaps with site	0
Morrich More	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2,931	protected area overlaps with site	2,975
Moray Firth	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	151,274	protected area overlaps with site	0
Moray Firth	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Moray and Nairn Coast	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2,412	protected area overlaps with site	2,410
Moray and Nairn Coast	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	2,326	protected area overlaps with site	2,412
Moray and Nairn Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lower River Spey - Spey Bay	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	654	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lower River Spey	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	226	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lower River Conon	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	285	protected area overlaps with site	0
Longman and Castle Stuart Bays	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	425	protected area overlaps with site	0
Loch Fleet (SWT)	Reserve	1,247	protected area overlaps with site	1,226
Loch Fleet	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,235	protected area overlaps with site	1,238
Loch Fleet	National Nature Reserve	1,057	protected area overlaps with site	1,058
Loch Fleet	Nature Reserve	714	protected area overlaps with site	0
Inner Moray Firth	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Inner Moray Firth	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	2,290	protected area overlaps with site	2,339
Inner Moray Firth	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2,339	protected area overlaps with site	2,339
Findhorn Bay	Local Nature Reserve	859	protected area overlaps with site	0
Edderton Sands	Nature Reserve	82	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dornoch Firth And Morrich More	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	8,701	protected area overlaps with site	6,248
Dornoch Firth and Morrich More	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	7,837	protected area overlaps with site	7,836
Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	7,857	protected area contained by site	7,899
Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dornoch Firth	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,993	protected area overlaps with site	3,577
Dornoch Firth	National Scenic Area	15,790	protected area overlaps with site	0
Culbin Sands, Forest and Findhorn Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)	4,916	protected area overlaps with site	2,089
Culbin Sands, Culbin Forest and Findhorn Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	4,924	protected area overlaps with site	0
Culbin Sands	Nature Reserve	1,135	protected area overlaps with site	0
Culbin Sands	RSPB Reserve	1,135	protected area overlaps with site	1,028
Culbin Bar	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	581	protected area overlaps with site	0
Cromarty Firth	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3,146	protected area overlaps with site	3,585
Cromarty Firth	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	3,248	protected area overlaps with site	3,766
Cromarty Firth	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	3,747	protected area overlaps with site	4,197
Cromarty Firth	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Conon Islands	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	121	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Beauly Firth	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,240	protected area overlaps with site	2,062

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

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture	-
tourism/recreation	-

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Moray Basin, Firths and Bays. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/03/2023.