Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mute Swan Cygnus olor | LC | winter | 2002-2006 | 148-212 individuals | B1i |
| Brent Goose Branta bernicla | LC | winter | 2002-2006 | 729-1,260 individuals | B1i, B2, C3 |
| Common Loon Gavia immer | LC | winter | 2002-2006 | 101-191 individuals | B1i, C6 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | winter | 2002-2006 | 14,386-27,180 individuals | A4iii, C4 |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2009) may differ.
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Inner Galway Bay SPA | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 100 |
| 1996 | Inner Galway Bay | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 93 |
| 1999 | Galway Bay Complex SAC | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 93 |
| 2009 | Galway Bay Complex | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) | 98 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 70 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 30 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | 90 |
| urban/industrial/transport | 10 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Inner Galway Bay (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/inner-galway-bay-iba-ireland on 23/11/2024.