Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A large, east-facing sea bay on the south coast in County Waterford. The extensive intertidal sand- and mudflats at this site are sheltered by Helvick Head to the south and Ballynacourty Point to the north. The linear Cunnigar shingle-spit extends far into the bay, providing further shelter to the inner mudflats.
An important site for wintering waterbirds. Several additional species occur in numbers of national importance including
Tadorna tadorna (995 birds, 1995),
Pluvialis apricaria (6,100 birds, 1996),
Vanellus vanellus (3,775 birds, 1996) and
Tringa totanus (910 birds, 1996).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The southern side of this bay has been extensively developed for intertidal shellfish cultivation. Possible implications are loss of, and changes to, the intertidal habitat, and increased disturbance to wintering birds. The beach and harbour are also of high recreational importance with further implications in terms of disturbance to the site.
National None
International Partial1,041 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Dungarvan Harbour, 1,041 ha). 1,041 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Dungarvan Harbour, 1,041 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dungarvan Harbour (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dungarvan-harbour-iba-ireland on 23/11/2024.
