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

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (2004)	133 males	C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	resident (1995)	20 pairs	B2, C6
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra	LC	breeding (2002)	292 pairs	B3
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus	LC	resident (2002)	468 pairs	B2

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	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	133 / 56 (males)	100	good
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra	292 / 450 (pairs)	65	not assessed
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus	468 / 300 (pairs)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Not assessed	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1909	Morte	Nature Reserve (V)	1
1918	Winsford Hill	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1931	Watersmeet	Nature Reserve (V)	2
1932	Holnicote	Nature Reserve (V)	13
1932	Shervage Wood	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1951	Holford	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1954	Exmoor	National Park (V)	86
1957	Quantock Hills	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	11
1960	North Devon	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	3
1963	West Exmoor Coast	Nature Reserve (V)	3
1977	Grabbist Hill	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1981	Beacon and Bicknoller Hills	Nature Reserve (V)	1
1985	Greenaleigh	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1986	The Quantocks	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	11
1986	West Exmoor Coast and Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	2
1986	Watersmeet	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1986	Saunton To Baggy Point Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	Morte Point	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	Napp's Cave	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Triscombe Hills	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1989	Barricane Beach	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1991	Exmoor	Heritage Coast (V)	10
1992	North Exmoor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	53
1992	South Exmoor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	14
1992	North Devon	Heritage Coast (V)	3
1993	Hillsborough	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1995	Exmoor Coastal Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	7
1995	The Dunkery & Horner Wood	National Nature Reserve (IV)	7
1997	River Barle	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1998	Hele, Samson's and Combe Martin Bays	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2000	Dunster Park and Heathlands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
2004	Hawkcombe Woods	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	-	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland
Grassland	-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	-
Shrubland	-	Scrub; Heathland
Wetlands (inland)	-	Rivers and streams

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Exmoor Coast and Heaths (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/exmoor-coast-and-heaths-iba-united-kingdom on 27/12/2024.