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• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
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• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2007 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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding	2004	133 males	C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	resident	1995	20 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra	LC	breeding	2002	292 breeding pairs	B3
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus	LC	resident	2002	468 breeding pairs	B2

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2007).

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Caprimulgus europaeus	European Nightjar	56	133	males	100	favourable
Saxicola rubetra	Whinchat	450	292	breeding pairs	65	not assessed
Saxicola torquatus	Common Stonechat	300	468	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	wood and pulp plantations (includes afforestation) - agro-industry plantations	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Not assessed	low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 conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Winsford Hill	Nature Reserve	38	protected area contained by site	0
West Exmoor Coast and Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	699	protected area overlaps with site	0
West Exmoor Coast	Nature Reserve	723	protected area overlaps with site	0
Watersmeet	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	346	protected area overlaps with site	0
Watersmeet	Nature Reserve	545	protected area overlaps with site	0
Triscombe Hills	Nature Reserve	92	protected area overlaps with site	0
The Quantocks	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2,476	protected area overlaps with site	2,473
The Dunkery & Horner Wood	National Nature Reserve	1,605	protected area overlaps with site	0
South Exmoor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3,132	protected area overlaps with site	3,127
Shervage Wood	Nature Reserve	55	protected area overlaps with site	0
Saunton To Baggy Point Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	148	protected area overlaps with site	0
River Barle	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	104	protected area overlaps with site	0
Quantock Hills	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	9,922	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Exmoor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	12,005	protected area overlaps with site	12,017
North Devon	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	17,184	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Devon	Heritage Coast	13,352	protected area overlaps with site	0
Napp's Cave	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	12	protected area contained by site	0
Morte Point	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	96	protected area overlaps with site	0
Morte	Nature Reserve	207	protected area overlaps with site	0
Holnicote	Nature Reserve	3,567	protected area overlaps with site	0
Holford	Nature Reserve	52	protected area contained by site	0
Hillsborough	Local Nature Reserve	28	protected area overlaps with site	0
Hele, Samson's and Combe Martin Bays	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	51	protected area overlaps with site	0
Hawkcombe Woods	National Nature Reserve	98	protected area overlaps with site	0
Greenaleigh	Nature Reserve	7	protected area overlaps with site	0
Grabbist Hill	Nature Reserve	29	protected area contained by site	0
Exmoor Heaths	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	10,670	protected area contained by site	10,706
Exmoor Coastal Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,732	protected area overlaps with site	0
Exmoor And Quantock Oakwoods	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,894	protected area overlaps with site	0
Exmoor	National Park	69,341	protected area overlaps with site	19,513
Exmoor	Heritage Coast	11,672	protected area overlaps with site	2,164
Dunster Park and Heathlands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	429	protected area overlaps with site	0
Braunton Burrows	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,340	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Braunton Burrows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,340	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Bideford to Foreland Point	Marine Conservation Zone	10,361	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Beacon and Bicknoller Hills	Nature Reserve	263	protected area overlaps with site	0
Barricane Beach	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	8	protected area overlaps with site	0
Barle Valley	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	653	protected area is adjacent to site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Mixed woodland	-
Shrubland	Scrub, Heathland	-
Grassland		-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams	-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Exmoor Coast and Heaths. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/exmoor-coast-and-heaths-iba-united-kingdom on 04/10/2023.