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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	610 birds	B1i, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	winter (2001–2006)	616 birds	B1i, B2, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	winter (2001–2006)	177 birds	B1i, C2
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	33,951 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	27,775 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	44,226 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	41,085 birds	A4iii, C4

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	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	610 / 155 (birds)	100	good
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	177 / 130 (birds)	100	good
Greylag Goose Anser anser	619 / 2,270 (birds)	28	very poor
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	27,775 / 32,500 (birds)	86	moderate
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	0 / 480 (pairs)	0	very poor
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	41,085 / 42,802 (birds)	96	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>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	The conservation measures needed for the site are being compre­hensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Loch of Strathbeg	RSPB Reserve (-)	82
1971	Loch of Strathbeg	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	100
1972	Loch Of Strathbeg	Nature Reserve (IV)	81

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	20	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	minor (<10)	Water fringe vegetation; Fens, transition mires and springs

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	95
agriculture	15

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Loch of Strathbeg (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/loch-of-strathbeg-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.