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• Text account
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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
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,118 individuals	B1i, C3
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	576 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	860 individuals	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2002	138 breeding pairs	C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,298 individuals	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	7,024 individuals	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,537 individuals	B1i, C3
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	504 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	25,547 individuals	A4iii, C4

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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	4,420	1,488	individuals	34	very unfavourable
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	5,900	2,056	individuals	35	very unfavourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	695	1,118	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	310	576	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	170	860	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	34	138	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	3,690	1,272	individuals	35	very unfavourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	3,430	749	individuals	22	very unfavourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	1,160	122	individuals	11	very unfavourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	730	136	individuals	19	very unfavourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,960	1,298	individuals	67	unfavourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,310	398	individuals	31	very unfavourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	1,140	298	individuals	27	very unfavourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	16,600	4,698	individuals	29	very unfavourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	27,700	7,024	individuals	26	very unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	5,800	1,221	individuals	22	very unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	3,630	1,537	individuals	43	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

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	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1985	Nor Marsh & Motney Hill	Nature Reserve	2
1991	Medway Estuary and Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1992	Medway Estuary and Marshes	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1993	Medway Estuary & Marshes	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
2011	Medway Estuary and Marshes	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	61
2013	Medway Estuary	Marine Conservation Zone	64
2014	Medway Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	62
2016	The Swale Estuary	Marine Conservation Zone	3

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid grasslands	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Medway Estuary and Marshes (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/medway-estuary-and-marshes-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.