Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Clare Island is situated at the entrance of Clew Bay, 5 km from the mainland in County Mayo. The sea cliffs extend for 8 km along the north-western side of the island; the site boundary runs parallel to, and 100 m inland from, the cliff-edge.
The cliffs hold notable seabird colonies, including one of the largest colonies of
Fulmarus glacialis (1,898 pairs, 1990) in Ireland, and nationally important numbers of
Larus argentatus (min. 550 pairs, 1987) and
Rissa tridactyla (1,712 pairs, 1990). This is also a notable breeding site for
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
This site is being considered by NPW for designation as a Special Protection Area, and it overlaps with a proposed candidate Special Area for Conservation (Clare Island Cliffs; area not known). The cliffs are listed as an area of international scientific importance, on account of their rare Arctic-alpine plant communities and seabird colonies.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Clare Island cliffs (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/clare-island-cliffs-iba-ireland on 23/12/2024.
