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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	2001-2006	12,424 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	2001-2006	2,005 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter	2001-2006	2,644 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	502 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,047 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	377 individuals	B2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,009 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,328 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	890 individuals	B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage	2001-2006	8,184 individuals	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	31,278 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	2,700 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,670 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2001	47 breeding pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	130 breeding pairs	B2, C2
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2006	68 breeding pairs	B2, C2
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2000	88 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	204 breeding pairs	B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	29,142 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	81,571 individuals	A4iii, C4

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	16,600	12,424	individuals	75	near favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	3,770	2,644	individuals	71	near favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	3,350	2,005	individuals	60	unfavourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	1,810	502	individuals	28	very unfavourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	875	430	individuals	50	unfavourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,820	2,047	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,760	1,009	individuals	58	unfavourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,180	377	individuals	32	very unfavourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,090	890	individuals	82	near favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,110	1,328	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	47,400	31,278	individuals	66	unfavourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	22,700	8,184	individuals	37	very unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,980	2,700	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,860	2,670	individuals	100	favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	130	68	breeding pairs	53	unfavourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	88	204	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	40,171	29,142	individuals	73	near favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	95,083	81,571	individuals	86	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	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
Residential and commercial development	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
Whole area of site (>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	% overlap with IBA
-	Langstone Harbour	RSPB Reserve	10
1964	Chichester Harbour	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	64
1966	East Head West Wittering	Nature Reserve	<1
1974	Farlington Marshes	Local Nature Reserve	2
1978	Langstone Harbour	Nature Reserve	10
1985	Chichester Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	64
1985	Langstone Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	36
1985	Nutborne Marshes	Local Nature Reserve	7
1985	Pilsey Island	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1985	Pilsey Island	Nature Reserve	<1
1986	Warblington Meadow	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1987	Chichester and Langstone Harbours	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1994	Sandy Point	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1994	The Kench, Hayling Island	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1996	Solent And Isle Of Wight Lagoons	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
1998	Chichester and Langstone Harbours	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1998	Solent Maritime	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	91
2000	Eames Farm	Local Nature Reserve	2
2000	West Hayling	Local Nature Reserve	1
2000	Sinah Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
2004	Gutner Point	Local Nature Reserve	1
2005	Solent Maritime	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	84
2011	Chichester and Langstone Harbours	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	84
2011	Hayling Billy	Local Nature Reserve	1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland	minor (<10)
Grassland		minor (<10)
Shrubland	Scrub	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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 26/11/2024.