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The site was identified as important in 2009 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
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii	LC	breeding	2000	618 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	1999	610 breeding pairs	B1i, C2, C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	1999	89 breeding pairs	C6
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle	LC	breeding	1998	83 individuals	B2

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2009).

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Larus argentatus		150	16	nests	11	not assessed
Sterna dougallii	Roseate Tern	180	618	nests	100	favourable
Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	108	610	nests	100	favourable
Sterna paradisaea	Arctic Tern	2	89	nests	100	not assessed
Cepphus grylle	Black Guillemot	40	83	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	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - named species	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid 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	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	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)
Rockabill to Dalkey Island SAC	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	27,314	protected area overlaps with site	0
Rockabill SPA	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	5,227	protected area contains site	2
Rockabill Island	Refuge for Fauna	1	protected area contains site	1

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Shrubland	Scrub	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Other urban and industrial areas	-
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

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

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
urban/industrial/transport	-
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rockabill. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rockabill-iba-ireland on 30/11/2023.