• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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	165 individuals	B2, C2, C6
Smew Mergellus albellus	LC	winter	2001-2006	32 individuals	C6
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	passage	2001-2006	457 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter	2001-2006	547 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,864 individuals	C6
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter	2001-2006	35 individuals	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	170 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	118 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	500 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	33,589 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	325	165	individuals	51	unfavourable
Smew Mergellus albellus	38	32	individuals	85	near favourable
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	515	547	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	2,850	3,864	individuals	100	favourable
Ruff Calidris pugnax	47	35	individuals	75	near favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	41	21	breeding pairs	52	unfavourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	280	170	breeding pairs	61	unfavourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	100	500	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	33,194	33,589	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	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%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	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
Some of site covered (10-49%)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1931	Dungeness	Nature Reserve	4
1975	Winchelsea	Nature Reserve	<1
1987	High Weald	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	4
1990	Hastings Cliffs To Pett Beach	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1996	Dungeness	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	11
1998	Dungeness	National Nature Reserve	4
2000	Dungeness; Romney Marsh and Rye Bay	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	15
2006	Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	46
2009	Rye Harbour	Local Nature Reserve	3

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes, Arable land	-
Grassland	Humid grasslands	-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
military	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dungeness To Pett Levels (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dungeness-to-pett-levels-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.