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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
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus	LC	breeding	1999	16,386 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, B2, C3
Great Skua Catharacta skua	LC	breeding	2001	1,074 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, B2, C3
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	VU	breeding	2002	27,949 breeding pairs	B1ii, B2, C3
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding	1999-2002	66,832 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
Morus bassanus	Northern Gannet	12000	16386	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Catharacta skua	Great Skua	1220	1074	breeding pairs	89	near favourable
Fratercula arctica	Atlantic Puffin	19100	27949	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Cepphus grylle	Black Guillemot	380	243	individuals	64	unfavourable
Species group - seabirds	A4iii	70610	66832	breeding pairs	95	favourable

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
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	Unknown	Unknown	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)
Valla Field	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	629	protected area overlaps with site	624
Shetland	National Scenic Area	41,817	protected area overlaps with site	0
Saxa Vord	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	55	protected area overlaps with site	0
Norwick Meadows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	25	protected area overlaps with site	0
Norwick	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	6	protected area overlaps with site	0
Hermaness; Saxa Vord and Valla Field	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	6,832	protected area overlaps with site	1,663
Hermaness, Saxa Vord and Valla Field	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Hermaness	National Nature Reserve	978	protected area overlaps with site	964
Hermaness	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	978	protected area overlaps with site	980

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Grassland	Humid grasslands	-
Wetlands (inland)	Blanket bogs	-
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: Hermaness, Saxa Vord and Valla Field. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hermaness-saxa-vord-and-valla-field-iba-united-kingdom on 07/12/2023.