Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | breeding (2002) | 166 pairs | B3, C6 |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | passage (2001–2006) | 831 birds | B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 1,157 birds | B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 1,697 birds | B1i, C3 |
| Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus | LC | breeding (2000) | 6 pairs | C6 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus | LC | breeding (2001) | 5,790 pairs | A4i, B1i, B3, C3 |
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | LC | breeding (2000) | 88 pairs | B2, C6 |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | breeding (2000) | 56 pairs | C6 |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | breeding (2006) | 51 pairs | C6 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | winter (2001–2006) | 36,777 birds | A4iii, C4 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2007) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | very poor | medium | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | 831 / 760 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | 1,157 / 735 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | 166 / 105 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | 1,697 / 1,830 (birds) | 93 | good | ||
| Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus | 6 / 1 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus | 5,790 / 8,200 (pairs) | 71 | moderate | ||
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | 88 / 25 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | 51 / 95 (pairs) | 54 | poor | ||
| Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis | 3 / 300 (pairs) | 1 | very poor | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 36,777 / 23,138 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 6,844 / 12,218 (pairs) | 57 | poor | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Natural system modifications | likely in short term (<4 years) | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | medium |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Havergate Island and Boyton Marshes | RSPB Reserve (-) | 9 |
| - | Suffolk Coast | Heritage Coast (-) | - |
| 1939 | North Warren | Nature Reserve (IV) | 4 |
| 1949 | Havergate Island & Boyton Marshes | Nature Reserve (IV) | 7 |
| 1954 | Orfordness-havergate | National Nature Reserve (IV) | 33 |
| 1970 | Suffolk Coast and Heaths | Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V) | 100 |
| 1979 | Suffolk | Heritage Coast (V) | 95 |
| 1987 | Round Hill Pit, Aldeburgh | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | <1 |
| 1989 | Snape Warren | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | <1 |
| 1992 | Alde-Ore Estuary | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 94 |
| 1993 | Orford Ness | Nature Reserve (V) | 28 |
| 1994 | The Haven, Aldeburgh | Local Nature Reserve (IV) | 1 |
| 1999 | Leiston - Aldeburgh | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 5 |
| 2004 | Snape | Nature Reserve (IV) | <1 |
| 2005 | Alde Ore and Butley Estuaries | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 37 |
| 2011 | Alde–-Ore Estuary | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 37 |
| 2011 | Outer Thames Estuary | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 6 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Neritic | major (>10) | |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | minor (<10) | Arable land |
| Grassland | minor (<10) |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Alde - Ore Estuary (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/alde--ore-estuary-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.