Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | LC | winter (1997–2003) | 13,397 birds | A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | LC | winter (1999–2003) | 1,395 birds | B1i, C2, C3 |
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 poor | medium | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | 13 / 135 (birds) | 10 | very poor | ||
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | 13,397 / 11,800 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | 1,395 / 940 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 7,554 / 23,171 (birds) | 33 | very poor | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (>4 years) | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity |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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Loch Gruinart/Ardnave | RSPB Reserve (-) | 45 |
| 1963 | Gruinart Flats | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 98 |
| 1983 | Loch Gruinart & Ardnave | Nature Reserve (IV) | 43 |
| 2011 | Gruinart Flats, Islay | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 30 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| 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 26/12/2024.