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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
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2002	166 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	831 individuals	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,157 individuals	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,697 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	6 breeding pairs	C6
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding	2001	5,790 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	88 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	56 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	51 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	36,777 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
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	war, civil unrest and military exercises	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - small dams	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	760	831	individuals	100	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	735	1157	individuals	100	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	105	166	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Tringa totanus	Common Redshank	1830	1697	individuals	93	favourable
Larus melanocephalus	Mediterranean Gull	1	6	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Larus fuscus	Lesser Black-backed Gull	8200	5790	breeding pairs	71	near favourable
Sternula albifrons	Little Tern	25	88	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	95	51	breeding pairs	54	unfavourable
Thalasseus sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	300	3	breeding pairs	1	very unfavourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	23138	36777	individuals	100	favourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	12218	6844	breeding pairs	57	unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	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	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

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
The Haven, Aldeburgh	Local Nature Reserve	20	protected area overlaps with site	0
Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	40,510	protected area overlaps with site	2,520
Suffolk Coast	Heritage Coast	0	protected area overlaps with site	2,385
Suffolk	Heritage Coast	20,697	protected area overlaps with site	0
Snape Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	48	protected area overlaps with site	0
Snape	Nature Reserve	235	protected area overlaps with site	0
Sandlings	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	3,406	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Round Hill Pit, Aldeburgh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1	protected area contained by site	0
Outer Thames Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	392,452	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Outer Thames Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Orfordness-havergate	National Nature Reserve	903	protected area overlaps with site	0
Orfordness - Shingle Street	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	888	protected area overlaps with site	0
Orford Ness	Nature Reserve	773	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Warren	Nature Reserve	412	protected area overlaps with site	0
Leiston - Aldeburgh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	534	protected area overlaps with site	0
Havergate Island and Boyton Marshes	RSPB Reserve	377	protected area overlaps with site	222
Havergate Island & Boyton Marshes	Nature Reserve	363	protected area overlaps with site	0
Alde; Ore And Butley Estuaries	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,633	protected area contained by site	0
Alde–-Ore Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Alde-Ore Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	2,404	protected area contained by site	2,417
Alde-Ore Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2,547	protected area overlaps with site	2,376
Alde-Ore Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2,532	protected area overlaps with site	2,378
Alde Ore and Butley Estuaries	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Marine Intertidal		-
Grassland		-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	-
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

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 (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Alde - Ore Estuary. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 27/03/2023.