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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	winter (2001–2006)	76 birds	B2
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage (2001–2006)	643 birds	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2001–2006)	1,370 birds	B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter (2001–2006)	5,979 birds	B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (2001–2006)	18,348 birds	B1i, B2, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	22,846 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	41,802 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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	1,838 / 5,050 (birds)	37	very poor
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	1,659 / 4,400 (birds)	38	very poor
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	643 / 745 (birds)	87	moderate
Red Knot Calidris canutus	5,979 / 8,550 (birds)	70	moderate
Dunlin Calidris alpina	18,348 / 10,400 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	41,802 / 34,714 (birds)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Pollution	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% 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	Not assessed	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1974	Leigh	National Nature Reserve (IV)	11
1987	Benfleet and Southend Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	100
1996	Southend on Sea Foreshore	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	43
2011	Benfleet and Southend Marshes	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	80

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Grassland	minor (<10)	Mesophile grasslands; Humid grasslands
Shrubland	minor (<10)	Scrub

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Benfleet and Southend Marshes (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/benfleet-and-southend-marshes-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.