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• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
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• 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	1990-1995	135 individuals	B3, C7

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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	135	60	individuals	45	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Pollution	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	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
-	Loch of Spiggie	RSPB Reserve	78
1962	Lochs of Spiggie and Brow	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1979	Loch Of Spiggie	Nature Reserve	61
1980	Shetland	National Scenic Area	74
1996	Lochs of Spiggie and Brow	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	98

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Standing brackish and salt water, Water fringe vegetation	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
hunting	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lochs of Spiggie and Brow (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lochs-of-spiggie-and-brow-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.