Data Zone
Country/territory: Ireland
IBA Criteria met: A4ii, A4iii, B1ii, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6 (2009)
For more information about IBA criteria please click here
Area: 3,238 ha
Protection status:
| Most recent IBA monitoring assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | Threat score (pressure) | Condition score (state) | Action score (response) |
| 2013 | very high | not assessed | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring please click here | |||
Site description
This is the largest group of islands on the south-west coast, lying a few kilometres off the Dingle peninsula in County Kerry. The group includes Great Blasket Island, with steep cliffs on its northern side, and the five smaller, exposed rocky islands of Inistooskert, Inisvickillaun, Inisnabro, Tearaght and Beginish. Great Blasket Island was once inhabited and now has a visitor centre at its northern end. A small herd of feral red deer Cervus elaphus are present on Inishvickillaun. The islands are visited by tourists.
Key biodiversity
This site is of particular importance for its seabird colonies. Additional species occurring in numbers of national importance are Fulmarus glacialis (2,200 pairs, 1988), Rissa tridactyla (750 pairs, 1988) and Alca torda (450 birds, 1988).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2021) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Blasket Islands. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 27/07/2021.
