Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | winter | 2001-2006 | 2,296 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | LC | passage | 2001-2006 | 173 individuals | B2 |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | LC | winter | 2001-2006 | 451 individuals | B2 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | very unfavourable | medium | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Reference | Actual | Units | % remaining | Result |
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | 215 | 12 | individuals | 6 | very unfavourable |
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | 2,050 | 2,296 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | 315 | 451 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Pollution | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Natural system modifications | 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 | Unknown | Not assessed | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Lochs of Harray and Stenness | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) | 100 |
| 1980 | Hoy and West Mainland | National Scenic Area | 73 |
| 1996 | Loch Of Stenness | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 45 |
| 2001 | Brodgar | Nature Reserve | 1 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing freshwater, Standing brackish and salt water, Water fringe vegetation | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | 100 |
| water management | 100 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lochs of Harray and Stenness (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lochs-of-harray-and-stenness-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.