• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2009 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	2003-2005	1,963-3,105 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	breeding	2009	38 breeding pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	27 breeding pairs	C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	2000	182 breeding pairs	C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2009) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2009) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	1,900	2,525	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	8	38	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Mew Gull Larus canus	10	47	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	33	27	breeding pairs	82	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low

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	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Inishkea Islands	Wildfowl Sanctuary	-
1995	Inishkea Islands SAC	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	40
2004	Inishkea Islands SPA	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
2012	West Connacht Coast SAC	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	8

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	100

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Inishkea Islands (Ireland). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/inishkea-islands-iba-ireland on 23/11/2024.