Data Zone
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 IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 68 individuals | C6 |
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 3,434 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca | VU | winter (2001–2006) | 1,738 individuals | B2 |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 782 individuals | B2 |
| Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope | LC | passage (2001–2006) | 31,016 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 16,709 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Common Teal Anas crecca | LC | passage (2001–2006) | 4,160 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Common Teal Anas crecca | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 5,107 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus | NT | passage (2001–2006) | 9,116 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata | NT | passage (2001–2006) | 3,719 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata | NT | winter (2001–2006) | 3,615 individuals | A4i, B1i, B2, C3 |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica | NT | passage (2001–2006) | 1,279 individuals | A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica | NT | winter (2001–2006) | 3,494 individuals | A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6 |
| Red Knot Calidris canutus | NT | winter (2001–2006) | 8,150 individuals | B1i, B2, C3 |
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | LC | passage (2001–2006) | 4,131 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | LC | winter (2001–2006) | 4,287 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus | LC | breeding (1999–2000) | 230 breeding pairs | B3 |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | breeding (2000) | 527 breeding pairs | C6 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | passage (2001–2006) | 71,037 individuals | A4iii, C4 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | winter (2001–2006) | 87,459 individuals | A4iii, C4 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2018 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| no | unset | - | |
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | rapid deterioration (>30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Not assessed | Not assessed | Not assessed | not assessed |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Culbin Sands, Forest and Findhorn Bay | Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (-) | 13 |
| - | Loch Fleet (SWT) | Reserve (-) | 8 |
| - | Nigg and Udale Bays | RSPB Reserve (-) | 9 |
| - | Culbin Sands | RSPB Reserve (-) | 6 |
| 1963 | Strathfleet | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | <1 |
| 1970 | Loch Fleet | Nature Reserve (IV) | 4 |
| 1973 | Culbin Sands, Culbin Forest and Findhorn Bay | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 12 |
| 1973 | Tarbat Ness | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III) | <1 |
| 1974 | Morrich More | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 18 |
| 1974 | Cromarty Firth | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 22 |
| 1974 | Beauly Firth | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 13 |
| 1974 | Mound Alderwoods | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 2 |
| 1974 | Munlochy Bay | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 2 |
| 1975 | Dornoch Firth | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 22 |
| 1975 | Loch Fleet | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 8 |
| 1975 | Whiteness Head | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 2 |
| 1977 | Culbin Sands | Nature Reserve (IV) | 6 |
| 1986 | Spey Bay | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III) | <1 |
| 1988 | Lower River Spey | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (III) | 1 |
| 1989 | Nigg & Udale Bays | Nature Reserve (IV) | 9 |
| 1989 | Edderton Sands | Nature Reserve (IV) | <1 |
| 1991 | Spey Bay | Nature Reserve (IV) | <1 |
| 1995 | Lower River Conon | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 1 |
| 1997 | Longman and Castle Stuart Bays | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 2 |
| 1998 | Loch Fleet | National Nature Reserve (IV) | 7 |
| 1998 | River Spey | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 2 |
| 2005 | Dornoch Firth and Morrich More | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 27 |
| 2005 | Moray Firth | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 7 |
| 2011 | Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 32 |
| 2011 | Cromarty Firth | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 20 |
| 2011 | Inner Moray Firth | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 12 |
| 2011 | Moray and Nairn Coast | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 9 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Neritic | major (>10) | |
| Grassland | minor (<10) | |
| Shrubland | minor (<10) | Scrub; Heathland |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Moray Basin, Firths and Bays (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/moray-basin-firths-and-bays-iba-united-kingdom on 12/01/2025.