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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2009

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	LC	winter	2002-2006	199-288 individuals	B1i
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	2004-2006	1,946-3,177 individuals	A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2002-2006	222-340 individuals	B1i, C3
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2002-2006	1,056-2,743 individuals	B1i, C3
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	winter	2002-2006	626-1,383 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	winter	2002-2006	32-70 individuals	B2
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata	LC	winter	2002-2006	7-50 individuals	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2001	89 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2001-2005	239 breeding pairs	B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2002-2006	23,960-31,867 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

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Lough Swilly SPA	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	8,560	protected area overlaps with site	3,734
Lough Swilly SAC	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	9,258	protected area overlaps with site	7,009
Lough Swilly	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	0	protected area contained by site	0
Leannan River SAC	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,726	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Blanket Nook	Wildfowl Sanctuary	48	protected area overlaps with site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Grassland	Humid grasslands, Mesophile grasslands	-
Coastline	Tidal rivers & enclosed tidal waters, Mud flats & sand flats	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes, Arable land	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
hunting	-

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lough Swilly including Blanket Nook and Inch Lake. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 08/08/2022.