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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
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,835 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,655 individuals	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	20,090 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	34,814 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
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	715	438	individuals	62	unfavourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	850	408	individuals	48	unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,020	1,655	individuals	82	near favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,030	1,835	individuals	91	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	20,773	34,814	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1987	INNER BELFAST LOUGH	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	3
1996	OUTER BELFAST LOUGH	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	2
1997	Belfast Lough	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	7
1998	Belfast Lough	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	7
1998	Belfast Lough	Nature Reserve	<1
2002	Belfast Lough Open Water	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	92
2011	Belfast Lough Open Water	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	92
2011	Belfast Lough	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	4

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Belfast Lough (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/belfast-lough-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.