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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
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus	LC	resident (1990–2005)	present pairs	C6
Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix	LC	resident (2006)	present pairs	B2
Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus	LC	breeding (1996)	present pairs	B2, C6
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola	LC	breeding (2001)	present pairs	C6
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus	LC	resident (1994)	present pairs	B2, C6
Osprey Pandion haliaetus	LC	breeding (2006)	present pairs	B2, C6
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	resident (2003)	min 26 pairs	B2, C6
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus	LC	breeding (2004)	present pairs	B2, C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	breeding (1992)	present pairs	C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	breeding (1990)	present pairs	C6
Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica	LC	resident (2007)	abundant pairs	A1, B2, C1, C6

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.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (<4 years)	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of area (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Abernethy Forest	RSPB Reserve (-)	6
1954	Cairngorms	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	13
1954	Cairngorms	National Nature Reserve (IV)	12
1955	Ben Vrackie	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1956	Glen Ey Gorge	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1961	Loch Brandy	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1961	Caenlochan	National Nature Reserve (IV)	1
1965	Inchrory	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1967	Glen Tanar	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	2
1971	Eastern Cairngorms	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	8
1971	Caenlochan	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	2
1971	Coyles of Muick	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1972	Beinn A' Ghlo	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	3
1972	Abernethy Forest	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	3
1972	Glen Callater	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1972	Glas Tulaichean	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1972	Cairnwell	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1972	Morrone Birkwood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1977	Abernethy	Nature Reserve (II)	5
1979	Glen Tanar	National Nature Reserve (IV)	2
1979	Brerachan Meadows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Northern Corries, Cairngorms	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1984	Cardney Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1988	North Rothiemurchus Pinewood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1989	River Feshie	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III)	<1
1989	Allt Mor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III)	<1
1991	Red Craig	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III)	<1
1992	Pollagach Burn	Site of Special Scientific Interest (IV)	<1
1996	Glenmore Forest	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1996	Garbh Choire	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1998	Creag Clunie and The Lion's Face	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1998	Fafernie	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2000	Forest of Clunie	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	9
2003	Cairngorms	National Park (V)	87
2005	Corrie Fee	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2007	Abernethy	National Nature Reserve (II)	6
2007	Invereshie and Inshriach	National Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2007	Glenmore	National Nature Reserve (IV)	1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	major (>10)	Forestry plantations
Forest	major (>10)	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Native coniferous woodland
Grassland	major (>10)	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland; Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland
Shrubland	major (>10)	Heathland; Scrub
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	minor (<10)	Inland cliffs
Wetlands (inland)	minor (<10)	Blanket bogs; Fens, transition mires and springs; Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation

Land use	% of IBA
forestry	-
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Grampian Mountains (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/grampian-mountains-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.