Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Situated 4 km off the north coast of County Dublin, this site includes Lambay Island and surrounding waters. About a third of the island on the lower western shore comprises managed pasture, with much of the rest being used as rough grazing for cattle and sheep.
Lambay Island is internationally important for breeding seabirds. Several other seabird species breed in nationally important numbers, including
Fulmarus glacialis (573 pairs, 1995),
Phalacrocorax carbo (605 pairs, 1995) and
Rissa tridactyla (5,102 pairs, 1995). This site also supports nationally important numbers of wintering
Anser anser (437 birds, 1995) and is one of the top sites for this species in Ireland.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Under the present management, the island's bird populations are secure and little disturbed. The NPW and BirdWatch Ireland have an ongoing population monitoring programme for seabirds and geese.
National None
International High612 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Lambay Island, 612 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lambay Island (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lambay-island-iba-ireland on 23/11/2024.
