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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 ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter (2001–2006)	7,417 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	14,066 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	15,800–31,791 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (2001–2006)	18,214 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (2001–2006)	848 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding (1995)	5 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage (2001–2006)	283 birds	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (2001–2006)	317 birds	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding (2002)	158 pairs	B3, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage (2001–2006)	1,729 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter (2001–2006)	5,026 birds	C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage (2001–2006)	1,835 birds	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	breeding (1993)	280 pairs	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage (2001–2006)	2,105 birds	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,518 birds	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage (2001–2006)	3,931 birds	C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,404 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage (2001–2006)	808 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage (2001–2006)	31,956 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter (2001–2006)	8,832 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter (2001–2006)	117 birds	C6
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	1,706 birds	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding (2000)	2 pairs	C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (2000)	291 pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (2006)	233 pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii	LC	breeding (2000)	1 pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2000)	408 pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2006)	425 pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (2000)	4,275 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (2006)	3,450 pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding (1990)	8 pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	99,810 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	119,813 birds	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 (2007) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	7,417 / 12,100 (birds)	62	poor
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	31,791 / 15,800 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	18,214 / 13,800 (birds)	100	good
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	848 / 1,280 (birds)	67	poor
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	317 / 120 (birds)	100	good
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	158 / 110 (pairs)	100	good
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	1,729 / 945 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	5,026 / 2,640 (birds)	100	good
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	1,835 / 885 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,105 / 600 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,518 / 555 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	3,931 / 740 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,404 / 1,280 (birds)	100	good
Red Knot Calidris canutus	31,956 / 2,140 (birds)	100	good
Red Knot Calidris canutus	8,832 / 7,600 (birds)	100	good
Ruff Calidris pugnax	117 / 39 (birds)	100	good
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,706 / 670 (birds)	100	good
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	291 / 370 (pairs)	79	moderate
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	425 / 155 (pairs)	100	good
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	3,450 / 4,275 (pairs)	81	moderate
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	119,813 / 79,493 (birds)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (>4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Biological resource use	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>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 (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	North Norfolk Coast (National Trust)	Reserve (-)	97
1912	Blakeney	Nature Reserve (IV)	14
1923	Brancaster	Nature Reserve (IV)	8
1923	Scolt Head Island	Nature Reserve (IV)	8
1954	Scolt Head Island	National Nature Reserve (IV)	10
1967	Holkham	National Nature Reserve (IV)	46
1967	Branodonum Roman Fort	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1968	Norfolk Coast	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	100
1973	Titchwell Marsh	Nature Reserve (IV)	5
1975	North Norfolk	Heritage Coast (V)	100
1984	Morston Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	North Norfolk Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	100
1994	Blakeney	National Nature Reserve (IV)	14
1995	Holme Dunes	National Nature Reserve (IV)	2
2002	Stiffkey Valley	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2005	The Wash and North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	45
2011	North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	45

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

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 23/12/2024.