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 IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata | LC | breeding (1994) | 58 breeding pairs | B2, C6 |
| Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus | LC | breeding (2000) | 469 breeding pairs | B3 |
| Great Skua Catharacta skua | LC | breeding (2000) | 1,973 breeding pairs | A4ii, B1ii, B3, C3 |
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | n/a | breeding (1999–2000) | 49,066 breeding pairs | 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.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | near favourable | very high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus | 469 / 645 (breeding pairs) | 73 | near favourable | ||
| Great Skua Catharacta skua | 1,973 / 2,120 (breeding pairs) | 94 | favourable | ||
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | 49,066 / 56,020 (breeding pairs) | 88 | near favourable | ||
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | very high |
| Energy production and mining | likely in short term (within 4 years) | few individuals/small area (<10%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Most of site (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species) | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Not assessed | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Hoy | RSPB Reserve (-) | 34 |
| 1962 | Hoy | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 83 |
| 1983 | Hoy | Nature Reserve (IV) | 33 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | - | Mixed woodland |
| Grassland | - | Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Shrubland | - | Scrub; Heathland |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Standing freshwater; Rivers and streams |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 65 |
| nature conservation and research | 35 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hoy (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hoy-iba-united-kingdom on 06/01/2025.