• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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 (1990–1995)	595 birds	B1i, B3, C2, C6
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter (1990–1995)	600 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter (1990–1995)	5,600 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (1990–1995)	1,010 birds	B1i, C3
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter (2001–2006)	128 birds	C6

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
Ruff Calidris pugnax	128 / 34 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	4,267 / 24,345 (birds)	18	very poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
No known threats	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% 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	Not assessed	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Martin Mere Wildfowl Trust	Reserve (-)	100
1984	Martin Mere, Burscough	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	-	Humid grasslands
Wetlands (inland)	-	Standing freshwater

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Martin Mere (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/martin-mere-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.