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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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2001-2006	7,417 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage	2001-2006	14,066 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	15,800-31,791 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	2001-2006	18,214 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	848 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding	1995	5 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	283 individuals	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	317 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2002	158 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	2001-2006	1,729 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	5,026 individuals	C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,835 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	breeding	1993	280 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	2,105 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,518 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	3,931 individuals	C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,404 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage	2001-2006	808 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage	2001-2006	31,956 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	8,832 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter	2001-2006	117 individuals	C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,706 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	2 breeding pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	291 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2006	233 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii	LC	breeding	2000	1 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	408 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	425 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2000	4,275 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	3,450 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	1990	8 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	99,810 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	119,813 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	12,100	7,417	individuals	62	unfavourable
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	15,800	31,791	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	13,800	18,214	individuals	100	favourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	1,280	848	individuals	67	unfavourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	120	317	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	110	158	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	945	1,729	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	2,640	5,026	individuals	100	favourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	885	1,835	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	600	2,105	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	555	1,518	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	740	3,931	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,280	1,404	individuals	100	favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	2,140	31,956	individuals	100	favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	7,600	8,832	individuals	100	favourable
Ruff Calidris pugnax	39	117	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	670	1,706	individuals	100	favourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	370	291	breeding pairs	79	near favourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	155	425	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	4,275	3,450	breeding pairs	81	near favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	79,493	119,813	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Biological resource use	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	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 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
-	North Norfolk Coast (National Trust)	Reserve	97
1912	Blakeney	Nature Reserve	14
1923	Brancaster	Nature Reserve	8
1923	Scolt Head Island	Nature Reserve	8
1954	Scolt Head Island	National Nature Reserve	10
1967	Holkham	National Nature Reserve	46
1967	Branodonum Roman Fort	Nature Reserve	<1
1968	Norfolk Coast	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	100
1973	Titchwell Marsh	Nature Reserve	5
1975	North Norfolk	Heritage Coast	100
1976	North Norfolk Coast	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1984	Morston Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	North Norfolk Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1993	North Norfolk Coast	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1994	Blakeney	National Nature Reserve	14
1995	Holme Dunes	National Nature Reserve	2
1996	The Wash And North Norfolk Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	47
1996	North Norfolk Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	40
2002	Stiffkey Valley	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
2005	The Wash and North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	45
2011	North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	45

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Forest	Mixed woodland	minor (<10)
Shrubland	Scrub	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: North Norfolk Coast (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/north-norfolk-coast-iba-united-kingdom on 22/11/2024.