Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 2,296 birds | B1i, C3 |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | LC | passage (2001–2006) | 173 birds | B2 |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 451 birds | B2 |
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 poor | medium | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | 12 / 215 (birds) | 6 | very poor | ||
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | 2,296 / 2,050 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | 451 / 315 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Pollution | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | Unknown | Not assessed | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Lochs of Harray and Stenness | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 100 |
| 2001 | Brodgar | Nature Reserve (IV) | 1 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| 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 14/12/2024.