Data Zone
Country/territory: Ireland
IBA criteria met: B1i, C2 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 944 ha
Site description (2000 baseline)
Sheskinmore Lough is situated approximately 6 km north-west of Ardara in County Donegal. The site comprises intertidal mud- and sandflats, together with sand-dunes, machair and extensive marshes. Of particular ecological interest is Sheskinmore Lough itself, which is a partially sand-filled lagoon. The site is grazed, although a large part of it is managed for nature conservation. A caravan site lies within a relatively small section of the dunes.
Key biodiversity
This site supports a diversity of wintering and breeding bird species. The number of wintering Branta leucopsis has fallen just below the B1i criterion threshold in recent years, but in view of high numbers during the 1980s (1,123 birds in 1981, and an average of 556 birds in the mid-1980s) the site has been retained as an IBA.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sheskinmore Lough. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sheskinmore-lough-iba-ireland on 30/11/2023.
