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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
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	resident	1989	180 breeding pairs	C6
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus	LC	resident	1995	10 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	resident	1991-1995	10 breeding pairs	C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	breeding	1989	8 breeding pairs	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
Circus cyaneus	29	2	breeding pairs	7	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1971	Blood Moss and Slot Burn	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1
1980	Birk Knowes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1989	Greenock Mains	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1990	Garpel Water	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1990	Ree Burn and Glenbuck Loch	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1997	Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1998	Airds Moss	Nature Reserve	2
2001	Muirkirk Uplands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	70
2001	North Lowther Uplands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	30
2002	Airds Moss	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	4

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Forestry plantations	-
Grassland		-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams, Blanket bogs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
forestry	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/muirkirk-and-north-lowther-uplands-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.