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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 Shag Gulosus aristotelis	LC	breeding	2001	663 breeding pairs	B3
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	2001	1,254 breeding pairs	C6
Great Skua Catharacta skua	LC	breeding	2001	143 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, B3, C3
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	VU	breeding	2000	40,000 breeding pairs	B1ii, B2, C3
Razorbill Alca torda	LC	breeding	2000	3,599 individuals	B3
Common Murre Uria aalge	LC	breeding	1999	39,257 individuals	B1ii, C3
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding	1999-2001	90,576 breeding pairs	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding	1999-2001	10,210 breeding pairs	A4iii, C4

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
Gulosus aristotelis	European Shag	1070	663	breeding pairs	62	unfavourable
Sterna paradisaea	Arctic Tern	1200	818	breeding pairs	69	unfavourable
Catharacta skua	Great Skua	130	143	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Fratercula arctica	Atlantic Puffin	8700	40000	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Alca torda	Razorbill	3060	3599	individuals	100	favourable
Uria aalge	Common Murre	37612	39257	individuals	100	favourable
Species group - seabirds	A4iii	72430	90576	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	21911	10210	breeding pairs	47	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high

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	Unknown	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)
Shetland	National Scenic Area	41,817	protected area contains site	0
Fair Isle	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	6,825	protected area contains site	559
Fair Isle	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Fair Isle	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	561	protected area overlaps with site	559
Fair Isle	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	561	protected area overlaps with site	559
Fair Isle	Demonstration and Research Marine Protected Area	15,684	protected area overlaps with site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Grassland		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

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

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Fair Isle. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/fair-isle-iba-united-kingdom on 02/10/2023.