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

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2002	166 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	831 individuals	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,157 individuals	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,697 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	6 breeding pairs	C6
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding	2001	5,790 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	88 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	56 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	51 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	36,777 individuals	A4iii, C4

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	105	166	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	760	831	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	735	1,157	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,830	1,697	individuals	93	favourable
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	1	6	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	8,200	5,790	breeding pairs	71	near favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	25	88	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	95	51	breeding pairs	54	unfavourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	300	3	breeding pairs	1	very unfavourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	23,138	36,777	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	12,218	6,844	breeding pairs	57	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other 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	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Suffolk Coast	Heritage Coast	-
-	Havergate Island and Boyton Marshes	RSPB Reserve	9
1939	North Warren	Nature Reserve	4
1949	Havergate Island & Boyton Marshes	Nature Reserve	7
1954	Orfordness-havergate	National Nature Reserve	33
1970	Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	100
1979	Suffolk	Heritage Coast	95
1987	Round Hill Pit, Aldeburgh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1989	Snape Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1992	Alde-Ore Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	94
1993	Alde-Ore Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	96
1993	Orford Ness	Nature Reserve	28
1994	The Haven, Aldeburgh	Local Nature Reserve	1
1996	Alde-Ore Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	94
1996	Orfordness - Shingle Street	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	30
1999	Leiston - Aldeburgh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	5
2001	Alde; Ore And Butley Estuaries	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	65
2004	Snape	Nature Reserve	<1
2005	Alde Ore and Butley Estuaries	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	37
2011	Alde–-Ore Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	37
2011	Outer Thames Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	6

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	minor (<10)
Grassland		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
nature conservation and research	-

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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 23/11/2024.