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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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding	2004	352 males	B2, C6
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	LC	breeding	2007	205 breeding pairs	C6
Woodlark Lullula arborea	LC	breeding	2006	364 males	C6

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
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - unspecified species	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	other ecosystem modifications	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Caprimulgus europaeus	European Nightjar	315	352	males	100	favourable
Burhinus oedicnemus		106	205	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Lullula arborea	Woodlark	150	364	males	100	favourable

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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Not assessed	low

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
West Stow Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	44	protected area overlaps with site	0
Weeting Heath	National Nature Reserve	137	protected area overlaps with site	0
Weeting Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	142	protected area overlaps with site	0
Weather and Horn Heaths, Eriswell	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	133	protected area overlaps with site	0
Wangford Warren and Carr	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	68	protected area overlaps with site	0
Thompson Water, Carr and Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	155	protected area overlaps with site	0
Thetford Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	271	protected area overlaps with site	0
Thetford Heath	National Nature Reserve	98	protected area overlaps with site	0
Thetford Golf Course & Marsh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	122	protected area contained by site	0
Stanford Training Area	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	4,677	protected area contained by site	4,681
Rex Graham Reserve	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3	protected area contained by site	0
Rex Graham Reserve	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	3	protected area contained by site	0
Raf Lakenheath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	111	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Old Bodney Camp	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	33	protected area contained by site	0
Norfolk Valley Fens	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	616	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Little Heath, Barnham	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	46	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lakenheath Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	588	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lackford Lakes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	106	protected area overlaps with site	0
How Hill Track	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3	protected area contained by site	0
Hooks Well Meadows, Great Cressingham	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	16	protected area overlaps with site	0
Grime's Graves	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	66	protected area overlaps with site	0
Great Eastern Pingo Trail	Local Nature Reserve	4	protected area overlaps with site	0
Great Cressingham Fen	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	14	protected area overlaps with site	0
Gooderstone Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	22	protected area contained by site	0
Foxhole Heath, Eriswell	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	85	protected area contained by site	0
Foulden Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	139	protected area overlaps with site	0
Field Barn Heaths, Hilborough	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	18	protected area overlaps with site	0
Eriswell Low Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	7	protected area overlaps with site	0
Elm Road Field, Thetford	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	5	protected area overlaps with site	0
East Wretham Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	141	protected area overlaps with site	0
Deadman's Grave, Icklingham	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	127	protected area overlaps with site	0
Cranwich Camp	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	13	protected area contained by site	0
Cranberry Rough Hockham	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	81	protected area overlaps with site	0
Cavenham Heath	National Nature Reserve	203	protected area overlaps with site	0
Cavenham - Icklingham Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	419	protected area overlaps with site	0
Bridgham & Brettenham Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	442	protected area overlaps with site	0
Brettenham Heath	National Nature Reserve	234	protected area overlaps with site	0
Breckland Forest	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	18,125	protected area overlaps with site	18,300
Breckland Farmland	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	13,392	protected area overlaps with site	14,552
Breckland	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	39,433	is identical to site	39,284
Breckland	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	7,544	protected area contained by site	0
Black Ditches, Cavenham	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2	protected area contained by site	0
Berner's Heath, Icklingham	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	236	protected area contained by site	0
Barton Mills	Local Nature Reserve	11	protected area overlaps with site	0
Barnhamcross Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	69	protected area overlaps with site	0
Barnham Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	79	protected area overlaps with site	0
Barnham Cross Common	Local Nature Reserve	69	protected area overlaps with site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Mixed woodland	-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Grassland		-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land, Forestry plantations	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
forestry	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
military	-

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Breckland. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/03/2023.