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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
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter	2001-2006	78 individuals	B2, C6
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage	2001-2006	11,669 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,968 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,129 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,495 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	passage	2001-2006	19,328 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter	2001-2006	19,316 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	4,829 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,819 individuals	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	4,390 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	4,559 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	8,766 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	13,700 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	8,815 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,020 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	75 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	1999-2004	84 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	1999-2004	547 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	1998-2003	516 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	75,331 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	86,342 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
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	54	78	individuals	100	favourable
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	7,000	5,968	individuals	86	near favourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	7,200	5,495	individuals	77	near favourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	7,200	5,495	individuals	77	near favourable
Anas crecca	5,950	2,722	individuals	46	unfavourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	28,200	19,328	individuals	69	unfavourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	30,200	19,316	individuals	64	unfavourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	1,940	593	individuals	31	very unfavourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	535	318	individuals	60	unfavourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	4,740	4,829	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	3,860	2,819	individuals	74	near favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	935	169	individuals	19	very unfavourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,620	4,390	individuals	100	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,610	4,559	individuals	100	favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	5,900	2,463	individuals	42	unfavourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	19,300	8,766	individuals	46	unfavourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	23,800	13,700	individuals	58	unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	7,250	5,020	individuals	70	near favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	8,350	8,815	individuals	100	favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	65	84	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	64,507	75,331	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	126,157	86,342	individuals	69	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	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	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Dee Estuary	RSPB Reserve	39
1971	Gronant Dunes and Talacre Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3
1979	Dee Estuary	Nature Reserve	43
1983	Dee Estuary/Aber Afon Dyfrdwy	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	62
1983	Hilbre Islands	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1983	Red Rocks	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1985	The Dee Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1994	Dee Cliffs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1998	The Dee Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1998	Dee Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	39
1999	GRONANT DUNES	Local Nature Reserve	1
2007	Dee Estuary/ Aber Dyfrdwy	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
2008	Dee Estuary / Aber Dyfrdwy	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	83
2011	The Dee Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	81

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Water fringe vegetation	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dee Estuary (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dee-estuary-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.