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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
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus	VU	winter	2001-2006	6 individuals	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	360-423 individuals	B2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	370 individuals	C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2000-2006	970 individuals	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	20,341 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
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus	20	6	individuals	30	very unfavourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	360	423	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	430	370	individuals	87	near favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	585	970	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	6,150	4,548	individuals	74	near favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	23,216	20,341	individuals	88	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	happening now	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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium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
1960	Prattshayes	Nature Reserve	<1
1983	Dawlish Warren	Local Nature Reserve	1
1984	Dawlish Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	9
1985	Exe Estuary	Nature Reserve	4
1986	Exe Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	83
1992	Exe Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	91
1993	Exe Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	91
1994	Exmouth	Local Nature Reserve	8
2000	Dawlish Warren	National Nature Reserve	6
2001	Dawlish Warren	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	2
2011	Exe Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	69

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid grasslands	7
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	-
tourism/recreation	-

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