• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• 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
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	resident	2003	7 breeding pairs	B2, 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
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	6	7	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	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
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1974	North Harris	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	72
1980	South Lewis, Harris and North Uist	National Scenic Area	100
1996	North Harris	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	73
1997	North Harris Mountains	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	73

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland, Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland	major (>10)
Shrubland	Heathland, Scrub	major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Standing brackish and salt water, Rivers and streams, Blanket bogs	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	major (>10)
fisheries/aquaculture	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: North Harris Mountains (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/north-harris-mountains-iba-united-kingdom on 24/11/2024.