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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
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,093 individuals	B1i, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,429 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,910 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,526 individuals	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	25,464 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	714	1,093	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,248	1,429	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,991	1,910	individuals	96	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,098	1,526	individuals	73	near favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	40	1	breeding pairs	3	very unfavourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	25,571	25,464	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium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
1954	Tayport - Tentsmuir Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	17
1961	Barry Links	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3
1962	Tentsmuir Point	National Nature Reserve	7
1971	Eden Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	17
1971	Flisk Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1972	Balmerino - Wormit Shore	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1
1973	Inner Tay Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	98
1977	Eden Estuary	Local Nature Reserve	13
1984	Monifieth Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3
1995	Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1996	Inner Tay Estuary	Local Nature Reserve	18
2000	Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
2002	Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
2004	Tay	Nature Reserve	12
2005	Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	95
2006	Tentsmuir	National Nature Reserve	10
2011	Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	89

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	20
agriculture	5
urban/industrial/transport	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/firth-of-tay-and-eden-estuary-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.