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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
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	passage	2001-2006	228 individuals	B1i, C2
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,753 individuals	B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage	2001-2006	12,699 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,367 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca	VU	winter	2001-2006	1,121 individuals	B2
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage	2001-2006	3,103 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	passage	2001-2006	2,970 individuals	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,112 individuals	C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	4,015 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	3,387 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,454 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,380 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage	2001-2006	858 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter	2001-2006	815 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	5,991 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	10,595 individuals	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	5,715 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	4,846 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	750 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	1,039 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	73,408 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	77,575 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
Greylag Goose Anser anser	595	1,753	individuals	100	favourable
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	12,800	5,367	individuals	42	unfavourable
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	3,560	1,032	individuals	29	very unfavourable
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	195	114	individuals	59	unfavourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	3,130	3,112	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	3,340	2,970	individuals	89	near favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,410	4,015	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,220	3,387	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	2,380	1,380	individuals	58	unfavourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,530	1,454	individuals	96	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	685	858	individuals	100	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	1,080	815	individuals	76	near favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	7,550	5,991	individuals	80	near favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	8,650	10,595	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	8,650	10,595	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	4,150	5,715	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	4,190	4,846	individuals	100	favourable
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	865	99	breeding pairs	12	very unfavourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	690	1,039	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	82,120	77,575	individuals	95	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	28,561	73,408	individuals	100	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%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	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%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Pollution	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	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
Whole area of site (>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	% overlap with IBA
-	John Muir Country Park	Park	-
-	Skinflats	RSPB Reserve	7
1952	Aberlady Bay	Local Nature Reserve	9
1955	Fife Ness Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1976	Skinflats	Nature Reserve	6
1985	Kilminning Coast	Nature Reserve	<1
1996	Firth of Forth	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1996	Torry Bay	Local Nature Reserve	9
1996	Alloa Inches	Nature Reserve	1
1996	St Margaret's Marsh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1998	Dumbarnie Links	Nature Reserve	<1
2000	Firth of Forth	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
2001	Firth of Forth	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
2001	Imperial Dock Lock; Leith	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	-
2011	Firth of Forth	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	83
2013	Kinneil Foreshore	Local Nature Reserve	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Grassland		minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)
Shrubland	Heathland	minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Firth of Forth (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/firth-of-forth-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.