Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2000 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):| Species | Current IUCN Red List Category | Season | Year(s) | Population estimate at site | IBA criteria met |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | LC | winter | 1994 | 500 individuals | B1i, B2, C2 |
| Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | LC | resident | 1996 | 10 breeding pairs | B2, C6 |
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | n/a | breeding | 1995-2000 | 11,000 breeding pairs | A4iii, C4 |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2000).
| Protected area (PA) | PA designation | PA area (ha) | Relationship of PA with IBA | Overlap of PA with IBA (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Colonsay Seabird Cliffs | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) | 44 | protected area contained by site | 48 |
| Oronsay | RSPB Reserve | 571 | protected area contained by site | 571 |
| Oronsay | Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) | 3,181 | protected area contained by site | 3,181 |
| North Colonsay and Western Cliffs | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 3,297 | protected area contained by site | 976 |
| North Colonsay | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) | 935 | protected area contained by site | 870 |
| Loch Fada | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) | 80 | protected area contained by site | 87 |
| Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Forest | Broadleaved deciduous woodland | - |
| Shrubland | Heathland | - |
| Grassland | Machair, Mesophile grasslands | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Blanket bogs, Standing freshwater | - |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable land, Highly improved re-seeded landscapes | - |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - |
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Colonsay and Oronsay. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/colonsay-and-oronsay-iba-united-kingdom on 25/09/2023.
