• 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 estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	winter	1988	1,552 individuals	B1i, B2, C2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2001-2006	747 individuals	B1i, C3
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	breeding	1987-1995	30 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	breeding	1995-1997	155 males	A1, B2, C1, C6
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana	LC	breeding	2006	2 males	C6
Haematopus ostralegus	NR	breeding	1995	1,490 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,063 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	winter	2001-2006	719 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	breeding	1995	800 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,176 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	LC	winter	2001-2006	730 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	LC	breeding	1995	710 breeding pairs	B1i, C2, C6
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus	LC	breeding	1995	2 breeding pairs	C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	breeding	1995	1,030 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	1999-2002	91 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	1999-2002	756 breeding pairs	C6

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat Level 1	Threat Level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - small dams	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Cygnus cygnus	Whooper Swan	1010	54	individuals	6	very unfavourable
Anser anser	Greylag Goose	300	747	individuals	100	favourable
Porzana porzana	Spotted Crake	2	2	males	100	favourable
Hydrobates pelagicus	European Storm-petrel	225	0	breeding pairs	0	very unfavourable
Charadrius hiaticula	Common Ringed Plover	1300	719	individuals	56	unfavourable
Limosa lapponica	Bar-tailed Godwit	675	1176	individuals	100	favourable
Arenaria interpres	Ruddy Turnstone	850	730	individuals	86	near favourable
Sternula albifrons	Little Tern	59	91	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
West Benbecula Lochs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	119	protected area overlaps with site	0
Vallay	Nature Reserve	246	protected area contained by site	0
Vallay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	306	protected area overlaps with site	0
South Uist Machair and Lochs	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	5,027	protected area contained by site	5,019
South Uist Machair and Lochs	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
South Uist Machair & Lochs	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	5,019	protected area overlaps with site	3,352
South Uist Machair	National Scenic Area	13,312	protected area overlaps with site	0
South Uist Machair	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	3,438	protected area contained by site	3,452
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist	National Scenic Area	202,123	protected area overlaps with site	0
Sound Of Barra	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	12,507	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Sound of Barra	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	12,500	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Pabbay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	553	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Uist Machair and Islands	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	4,860	protected area contained by site	4,876
North Uist Machair and Islands	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	4,705	protected area overlaps with site	4,705
North Uist Machair and Islands	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
North Uist Machair	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	3,039	protected area contained by site	3,049
Machairs Robach and Newton	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	739	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lochs at Clachan	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	104	protected area overlaps with site	0
Loch Hallan	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	378	protected area overlaps with site	0
Loch Druidibeg	National Nature Reserve	1,677	protected area contained by site	1,677
Loch Druidibeg	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,666	protected area overlaps with site	1,677
Loch Bee Machair	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	796	protected area overlaps with site	0
Loch Bee	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,109	protected area overlaps with site	1,173
Kilpheder and Smerclate; South Uist	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	380	protected area contained by site	0
Howmore Estuary, Lochs Roag and Fada	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	418	protected area overlaps with site	0
Bornish and Ormiclate Machairs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	660	protected area overlaps with site	0
Boreray	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	258	protected area overlaps with site	0
Berneray	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	669	protected area overlaps with site	0
Balranald Bog and Loch nam Feithean	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	820	protected area overlaps with site	0
Balranald	Nature Reserve	674	protected area overlaps with site	0
Baleshare and Kirkibost	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1,358	protected area contained by site	1,466
Aird and Borve; Benbecula	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	359	protected area contained by site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Mixed woodland	-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Grassland	Machair	-
Wetlands (inland)	Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters, Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation	-
Coastline	Inland sand dunes	-
Artificial/Terrestrial	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes, Arable land	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
hunting	-

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

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Uists Machairs, Lochs and Coast. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 06/10/2022.