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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
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter (2001–2006)	1,093 birds	B1i, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage (2001–2006)	1,429 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,910 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	1,526 birds	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	25,464 birds	A4iii, C4

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
Greylag Goose Anser anser	1,093 / 714 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,429 / 1,248 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,910 / 1,991 (birds)	96	good
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,526 / 2,098 (birds)	73	moderate
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	1 / 40 (pairs)	3	very poor
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	25,464 / 25,571 (birds)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1954	Tayport - Tentsmuir Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III)	17
1961	Barry Links	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	3
1962	Tentsmuir Point	National Nature Reserve (IV)	7
1971	Eden Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	17
1971	Flisk Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1972	Balmerino - Wormit Shore	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III)	1
1973	Inner Tay Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	98
1984	Monifieth Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	3
2004	Tay	Nature Reserve (IV)	12
2005	Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	95
2006	Tentsmuir	National Nature Reserve (IV)	10
2011	Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	89

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

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 26/12/2024.