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• 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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2002-2006	495 individuals	B1i, C3
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	winter	2002-2006	255 individuals	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2002-2006	1,278 individuals	B2
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000-2006	398-509 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2000-2006	650-826 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, 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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	320	467	individuals	100	favourable
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	555	310	individuals	56	unfavourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	509	398	breeding pairs	79	near favourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	270	825	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	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
Pollution	likely in short term (within 4 years)	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
Energy production and mining	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
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1968	Carlingford Lough Islands	Nature Reserve	1
1986	MOURNE AONB	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NI)	73
1986	Mourne	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	-
1996	CARLINGFORD LOUGH	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	82
1997	Carlingford Lough	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	61
1997	ROSTREVOR WOOD	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	<1
1998	Carlingford Lough	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	61
2000	Rostrevor Wood	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
2011	Carlingford Lough	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	34

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Marine Neritic		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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