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

The site was identified as important in 2007 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
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	resident	2004-2006	1 males	C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	4	1	males	25	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Pollution	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

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	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Not assessed	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Leighton Moss and Morecambe Bay	RSPB Reserve	100
1972	Arnside and Silverdale	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	100
1974	Leighton Moss & Morecambe Bay	Nature Reserve	85
1984	Leighton Moss	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1985	Leighton Moss	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
2004	Leighton Moss	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Leighton Moss (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/leighton-moss-iba-united-kingdom on 24/11/2024.