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

Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2007

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population at site	IBA criteria triggered
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	1990-1995	135 individuals	B3
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	1990-1995	1,120 individuals	B1i, C3
Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica	LC	winter	2006	uncommon	A1, B2, C1

Note: The current IUCN Red List category may differ from the category that was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment.

For more information about the IBA criteria, please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
No known threats	no known threats	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Conservation actions taken at the site (response)
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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high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)
The Cairngorm Mountains	National Scenic Area	65,539	protected area overlaps with site	0
River Spey - Insh Marshes	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	1,157	is identical to site	1,155
River Spey - Insh Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,157	protected area overlaps with site	1,155
River Spey - Insh Marshes	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	1,159	protected area overlaps with site	1,155
River Spey	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	5,760	protected area contains site	0
River Spey	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,960	protected area is adjacent to site	0
River Feshie	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	601	protected area overlaps with site	0
Insh Marshes	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	1,157	is identical to site	1,155
Insh Marshes	National Nature Reserve	695	protected area overlaps with site	594
Insh Marshes	Nature Reserve	1,015	protected area overlaps with site	0
Insh Marshes	RSPB Reserve	822	protected area overlaps with site	685
Cairngorms	National Park	452,810	protected area contains site	1,155

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Grassland	Humid grasslands	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Fens, transition mires and springs	-

For further information about the IUCN habitat classification, please click here.

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

For further information about the land-use classification, please click here.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: River Spey - Insh Marshes. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/2586 on 07/06/2023.