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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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding	2004	44 males	C6
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding	2006	9 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	87 individuals	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	463 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2006	206 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2001	2 breeding pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	19 breeding pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	2006	13 breeding pairs	C6
Woodlark Lullula arborea	LC	breeding	2006	28 males	C6

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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	24	44	males	100	favourable
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	8	9	males	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	105	206	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	28	7	breeding pairs	25	very unfavourable
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	7	13	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Woodlark Lullula arborea	19	28	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant 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	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Walberswick	National Nature Reserve	23
-	Minsmere	RSPB Reserve	33
1956	Westleton Heath	National Nature Reserve	2
1967	Dunwich	Nature Reserve	4
1970	Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	97
1976	Minsmere - Walberswick	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	91
1977	Minsmere	Nature Reserve	31
1979	Suffolk	Heritage Coast	73
1979	Suffolk Coast	Heritage Coast	-
1993	Minsmere-Walberswick	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	91
1993	Minsmere-Walberswick Heaths and Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1995	Minsmere To Walberswick Heaths And Marshes	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	57
1999	Dingle Marshes	Nature Reserve	4
2003	Suffolk Coast	National Nature Reserve	39
2007	Outer Thames Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	2
2011	Outer Thames Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	5
2017	Southern North Sea	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	6

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Native coniferous woodland, Mixed woodland	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Shrubland	Scrub, Heathland	major (>10)
Grassland	Humid grasslands	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Minsmere - Walberswick (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/minsmere--walberswick-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.