Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A small island and surrounding waters in Mulroy Bay, County Donegal. The site has been extended since the previous pan-European inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989) to include 18 ha of surrounding waters.
This site was formerly of importance for
Sterna sandvicensis, holding the second-largest breeding colony in Ireland (180 pairs) in 1984, although more recently numbers have declined (with none breeding in 1995). The species may yet recolonize˜the birds that used to nest at the site are now believed to breed at Inch Lake (site 005). There are also breeding
Sterna paradisaea (20 pairs, 1984) and a nationally important colony of
Larus ridibundus (180 birds, 1984).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Recreation may cause some disturbance to nesting terns
Sterna, and fisheries may deplete their prey stock, with implications for their breeding success. The site retains its conservation status as an IBA.
National None
International High19 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Greer's Island, 19 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Greer's Island (Massmount), Mulroy Bay (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/greers-island-(massmount)-mulroy-bay-iba-ireland on 25/12/2024.
