Data Zone
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 | winter | 1997-2003 | 13,397 individuals | A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | LC | winter | 1999-2003 | 1,395 individuals | B1i, C2, C3 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | very unfavourable | medium | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Reference | Actual | Units | % remaining | Result |
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | 135 | 13 | individuals | 10 | very unfavourable |
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | 11,800 | 13,397 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | 940 | 1,395 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 23,171 | 7,554 | individuals | 33 | very unfavourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | majority/most of area/population (50-90%) | moderate to rapid deterioration | medium |
| 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | medium |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Loch Gruinart/Ardnave | RSPB Reserve | 45 |
| 1963 | Gruinart Flats | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) | 98 |
| 1983 | Loch Gruinart & Ardnave | Nature Reserve | 43 |
| 1988 | Gruinart Flats, Islay | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 100 |
| 2001 | Gruinart Flats; Islay | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 100 |
| 2011 | Gruinart Flats, Islay | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) | 30 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable land | - |
| Forest | Mixed woodland | - |
| Grassland | Humid grasslands, Mesophile grasslands | - |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Marine Neritic | - | |
| Shrubland | Heathland | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Blanket bogs | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 30 |
| nature conservation and research | 30 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gruinart Flats (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gruinart-flats-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.