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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 Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding	2004	81 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	729 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,452 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,619 individuals	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,120 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,168 individuals	B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	LC	winter	2001-2006	6,435 individuals	B2
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	5 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	191 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	248 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	213 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Dartford Warbler Curruca undata	NT	breeding	2006	73 males	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	36,091 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
Caprimulgus europaeus	European Nightjar	43	81	males	100	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	125	729	individuals	100	favourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	315	1452	individuals	100	favourable
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	1790	1619	individuals	91	favourable
Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	810	1120	individuals	100	favourable
Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	1490	2168	individuals	100	favourable
Calidris alpina	Dunlin	5500	6435	individuals	100	favourable
Larus melanocephalus	Mediterranean Gull	6	5	breeding pairs	84	not assessed
Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	150	248	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Thalasseus sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	105	213	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Curruca undata	Dartford Warbler	71	73	males	100	favourable
Species group - waterbirds	A4iii	27027	36091	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	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: large scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	work and other activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	introduced genetic material	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - named species	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - small dams	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	agricultural & forestry effluents - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	shipping lanes	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 comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

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)
Wareham Meadows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	211	protected area overlaps with site	167
Wareham Meadows	Nature Reserve	311	protected area overlaps with site	0
Wareham	RSPB Reserve	340	protected area overlaps with site	124
Turlin Moor	Local Nature Reserve	12	protected area overlaps with site	0
The Moors	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	158	protected area overlaps with site	0
Studland and Godlingston Heath	National Nature Reserve	625	protected area overlaps with site	0
Studland & Godlingston Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	758	protected area overlaps with site	0
Studland	Nature Reserve	1,094	protected area overlaps with site	0
Rempstone Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	170	protected area overlaps with site	0
Purbeck	Heritage Coast	22,699	protected area overlaps with site	1,791
Poole Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2,276	protected area overlaps with site	1,952
Poole Harbour	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Poole Harbour	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	4,158	protected area contains site	2,272
Poole Harbour	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2,439	protected area overlaps with site	2,308
Middlebere and Hartland	Nature Reserve	317	protected area overlaps with site	0
Luscombe Valley	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	58	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Holton Heath	National Nature Reserve	162	protected area overlaps with site	0
Holton and Sandford Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	277	protected area overlaps with site	0
Ham Common, Dorset	Local Nature Reserve	25	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Ham Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	33	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Dorset Heaths (Purbeck And Wareham) And Studland Dunes	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	2,231	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Dorset Heaths	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	5,720	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Dorset Heathlands	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	8,185	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Dorset Heathlands	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	6,730	protected area overlaps with site	0
Dorset	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	113,013	protected area overlaps with site	1,789
Brownsea Island	Nature Reserve	242	protected area overlaps with site	0
Arne Reedbeds	National Nature Reserve	10	protected area overlaps with site	0
Arne	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	558	protected area overlaps with site	0
Arne	RSPB Reserve	539	protected area overlaps with site	127
Arne	Nature Reserve	583	protected area overlaps with site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Marine Intertidal		-
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Mixed woodland	-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Grassland		-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	-
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

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

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Poole Harbour. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/poole-harbour-iba-united-kingdom on 30/11/2023.