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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
European Shag Gulosus aristotelis	LC	breeding (1999)	1,131 pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C3
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla	VU	breeding (1999–2000)	49,776 pairs	A4i, B1i, C3
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle	LC	breeding (1999–2000)	1,078 birds	B1ii, B2, C3
Razorbill Alca torda	LC	breeding (1999–2000)	19,095 birds	A4ii, B1ii, B3, C3
Common Murre Uria aalge	LC	breeding (1999–2000)	214,399 birds	A4ii, B1ii, C3
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding (1999–2001)	198,061 pairs	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding (1999–2001)	54,739 pairs	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
European Shag Gulosus aristotelis	1,131 / 2,540 (pairs)	45	poor
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla	49,776 / 40,800 (pairs)	100	good
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus	183 / 875 (pairs)	21	very poor
Larus argentatus	3,506 / 9,550 (pairs)	37	very poor
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle	1,078 / 1,450 (birds)	75	moderate
Razorbill Alca torda	19,095 / 16,567 (birds)	100	good
Common Murre Uria aalge	214,399 / 129,850 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - seabirds	198,061 / 127,039 (pairs)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	54,739 / 54,035 (pairs)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	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	Unknown	Unknown	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1962	Duncansby Head	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	2
1978	Berriedale Cliffs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	23
1979	Stroma	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	14
1979	Red Point Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	17
1979	Dunnet Head	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	6
1979	Ousdale Burn	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Holborn Head	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	13
1985	Dunbeath to Sgaps Geo	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	15
1985	Craig Hammel to Sgaps Geo	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	7
1985	Castle of Old Wick to Craig Hammel	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
2008	Dunnet Head	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2011	East Caithness Cliffs	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	24
2011	North Caithness Cliffs	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	13
2014	East Caithness Cliffs	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	24

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	-
Shrubland	-	Heathland

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Caithness Cliffs (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/caithness-cliffs-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.