UK221
The Oa


Country/territory: United Kingdom

IBA Criteria met: B1i, C2, C3, C6 (2007)
For more information about IBA criteria please click here

Area: 4,423 ha

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Most recent IBA monitoring assessment
Year of assessment Threat score (pressure) Condition score (state) Action score (response)
2007 medium favourable low
For more information about IBA monitoring please click here


Site description
A peninsula in the south-west of Islay, exposed to the prevailing south-westerly weather. This results in a highly oceanic climate with closer ecological affinities to western Ireland than to the rest of Britain. The IBA includes rocky shore, blanket mire, heathland and farmland habitats. The site is important wintering greese, and for breeding raptors and other upland species. Anser albifrons are the flavirostris subspecies.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: The Oa. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 28/03/2023.