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• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	2001-2006	341 individuals	B1i, B3, C2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,968 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana	LC	breeding	1992	2 breeding pairs	C6

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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	185	341	individuals	100	favourable
Greylag Goose Anser anser	4,490	3,968	individuals	89	near favourable
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	410	200	individuals	49	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium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
1971	Loch Watten	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	32
1984	Broubster Leans	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	13
1984	Loch of Wester	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	5
1985	Loch Heilen	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	8
1986	Loch Scarmclate	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	8
1995	Loch Watten	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	31
1996	Loch of Mey	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	4
1998	Caithness Lochs	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1999	Caithness Lochs	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1999	Loch Calder	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	31
2000	Broubster Leans	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	13
2000	Loch Of Wester	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	5
2007	Broubster Leans	Nature Reserve	10

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid grasslands	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Blanket bogs, Fens, transition mires and springs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
forestry	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Caithness Lochs (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/caithness-lochs-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.