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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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter (2001–2006)	12,424 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage (2001–2006)	2,005 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter (2001–2006)	2,644 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage (2001–2006)	502 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2001–2006)	2,047 birds	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage (2001–2006)	377 birds	B2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,009 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2001–2006)	1,328 birds	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (2001–2006)	890 birds	B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage (2001–2006)	8,184 birds	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (2001–2006)	31,278 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	2,700 birds	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	2,670 birds	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding (2001)	47 pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (2000)	130 pairs	B2, C2
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (2006)	68 pairs	B2, C2
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (2000)	88 pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (2006)	204 pairs	B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	29,142 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	81,571 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	12,424 / 16,600 (birds)	75	moderate
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	2,005 / 3,350 (birds)	60	poor
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	2,644 / 3,770 (birds)	71	moderate
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	430 / 875 (birds)	50	poor
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	502 / 1,810 (birds)	28	very poor
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,047 / 1,820 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	377 / 1,180 (birds)	32	very poor
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,009 / 1,760 (birds)	58	poor
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,328 / 1,110 (birds)	100	good
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	890 / 1,090 (birds)	82	moderate
Dunlin Calidris alpina	8,184 / 22,700 (birds)	37	very poor
Dunlin Calidris alpina	31,278 / 47,400 (birds)	66	poor
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,700 / 1,980 (birds)	100	good
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,670 / 1,860 (birds)	100	good
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	68 / 130 (pairs)	53	poor
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	204 / 88 (pairs)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	81,571 / 95,083 (birds)	86	moderate
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	29,142 / 40,171 (birds)	73	moderate

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (<4 years)	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%)	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	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 (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Langstone Harbour	RSPB Reserve (-)	10
1964	Chichester Harbour	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	64
1966	East Head West Wittering	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1974	Farlington Marshes	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	2
1978	Langstone Harbour	Nature Reserve (IV)	10
1985	Chichester Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	64
1985	Langstone Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	36
1985	Nutborne Marshes	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	7
1985	Pilsey Island	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1985	Pilsey Island	Nature Reserve (Ia)	<1
1986	Warblington Meadow	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1994	Sandy Point	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1994	The Kench, Hayling Island	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2000	Eames Farm	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	2
2000	West Hayling	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2000	Sinah Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2004	Gutner Point	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2005	Solent Maritime	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	84
2011	Chichester and Langstone Harbours	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	84
2011	Hayling Billy	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Forest	minor (<10)	Broadleaved deciduous woodland
Grassland	minor (<10)
Shrubland	minor (<10)	Scrub

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Chichester and Langstone Harbours (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/chichester-and-langstone-harbours-iba-united-kingdom on 27/12/2024.