The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 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 |
| Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis |
VU |
winter (1992–1993) |
309,000 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata |
LC |
winter (1992–1993) |
2,800 individuals |
A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle |
LC |
winter (1992–1993) |
3,400 individuals |
A4ii, B1ii, C3 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
non-breeding (-) |
100,000-499,999 individuals |
A4iii, C4 |
| Habitat |
% of IBA |
Habitat detail |
| Marine Neritic |
major (>10) |
|
| Marine Intertidal |
- |
|
| Land use |
% of IBA |
| urban/industrial/transport |
major (>10) |
| fisheries/aquaculture |
major (>10) |
| tourism/recreation |
major (>10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Irbe strait (Latvia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/irbe-strait-iba-latvia on 20/01/2025.
