Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A small lake with islands and some reed-swamp, situated just south of the town of Loughrea in County Galway. There is improved farmland around the lake, and it is used by anglers.
This is one of the most important wintering sites in Ireland for
Fulica atra (1,700 birds, 1980s).
Aythya fuligula (452 birds, 1986), and
Pluvialis apricaria (1,000 birds, 1995) also occur in numbers of national importance.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main threat to the lake is nutrient pollution from agricultural run-off, as many of the surrounding fields have been fertilized.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lough Rea (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lough-rea-iba-ireland on 23/11/2024.
