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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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2001-2006	7,417 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage	2001-2006	14,066 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	15,800-31,791 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	2001-2006	18,214 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	848 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding	1995	5 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	283 individuals	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	317 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2002	158 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,729 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,026 individuals	C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,835 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	breeding	1993	280 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	2,105 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,518 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	3,931 individuals	C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,404 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	LC	passage	2001-2006	808 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage	2001-2006	31,956 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	8,832 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter	2001-2006	117 individuals	C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,706 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	2 breeding pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	291 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2006	233 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii	LC	breeding	2000	1 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	408 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	425 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2000	4,275 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	3,450 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	1990	8 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	99,810 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	119,813 individuals	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
Branta bernicla	Brent Goose	12100	7417	individuals	62	unfavourable
Anser brachyrhynchus	Pink-footed Goose	15800	31791	individuals	100	favourable
Mareca penelope	Eurasian Wigeon	13800	18214	individuals	100	favourable
Anas acuta	Northern Pintail	1280	848	individuals	67	unfavourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	110	158	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	120	317	individuals	100	favourable
Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover	945	1729	individuals	100	favourable
Pluvialis apricaria	Eurasian Golden Plover	2640	5026	individuals	100	favourable
Charadrius hiaticula	Common Ringed Plover	885	1835	individuals	100	favourable
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	600	2105	individuals	100	favourable
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	555	1518	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa lapponica	Bar-tailed Godwit	1280	1404	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa lapponica	Bar-tailed Godwit	740	3931	individuals	100	favourable
Calidris canutus	Red Knot	7600	8832	individuals	100	favourable
Calidris canutus	Red Knot	2140	31956	individuals	100	favourable
Calidris pugnax	Ruff	39	117	individuals	100	favourable
Tringa totanus	Common Redshank	670	1706	individuals	100	favourable
Sternula albifrons	Little Tern	370	291	breeding pairs	79	near favourable
Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	155	425	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Thalasseus sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	4275	3450	breeding pairs	81	near favourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	79493	119813	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - persecution/control	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

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	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

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)
Wiveton Downs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	29	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Titchwell Marsh	Nature Reserve	433	protected area overlaps with site	0
The Wash and North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
The Wash And North Norfolk Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	107,718	protected area overlaps with site	0
The Wash	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	62,044	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Stiffkey Valley	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	44	protected area overlaps with site	0
Scolt Head Island	National Nature Reserve	749	protected area overlaps with site	749
Scolt Head Island	Nature Reserve	629	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Norfolk Coast (National Trust)	Reserve	9,005	protected area overlaps with site	7,569
North Norfolk Coast	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	7,887	protected area overlaps with site	7,831
North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Norfolk Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	3,149	protected area contained by site	0
North Norfolk Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	7,861	protected area overlaps with site	7,831
North Norfolk Coast	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	7,862	is identical to site	7,831
North Norfolk	Heritage Coast	13,901	protected area contains site	5,253
Norfolk Coast	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	44,583	protected area contains site	7,831
Morston Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1	protected area overlaps with site	0
Holme Dunes	National Nature Reserve	188	protected area overlaps with site	0
Holkham	National Nature Reserve	3,530	protected area overlaps with site	3,605
Branodonum Roman Fort	Nature Reserve	9	protected area overlaps with site	0
Brancaster	Nature Reserve	673	protected area overlaps with site	0
Blakeney	Nature Reserve	1,149	protected area contained by site	0
Blakeney	National Nature Reserve	1,115	protected area contained by site	1,097

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Forest	Mixed woodland	-
Shrubland	Scrub	-
Wetlands (inland)	Water fringe vegetation	-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

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

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: North Norfolk Coast. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/north-norfolk-coast-iba-united-kingdom on 03/10/2023.