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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 IBA criteria.

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

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (2004)	207 males	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	breeding (2000)	141 breeding pairs	C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	resident (1996)	40 breeding pairs	C6

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 key species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	207 / 89 (males)	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	141 / 615 (breeding pairs)	23	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of site covered (10–49%)	Unknown	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1936	Robin Hood's Bay	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1937	Scarthwood Moor	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1944	Bridestones	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1952	North York Moors	National Park (V)	100
1972	Bransdale	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1972	Rievaulx Terrace	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1977	Ravenscar	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1977	Forge Valley Woodlands	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1981	North Yorkshire & Cleveland	Heritage Coast (V)	4
1981	Hayburn Wyke	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1983	Biller Howe Dale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Castlebeck and Scar Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Scar End Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Littlebeck Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Seive Dale Fen	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Eller's Wood and Sand Dale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Broughton Bank	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Ellerburn Bank	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Hackness Head Quarry	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1983	Bull Ings	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Hole Of Horcum	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Bride Stones	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Ashberry and Reins Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Raincliffe & Forge Valley Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Staithes - Port Mulgrave	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Spring Wood,Hawnby	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Hayburn Wyke	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Ruston Cottage Pasture	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Cockrah Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Runswick Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Gowerdale Windy Pits/Peak Scar	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Hill House Nab	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Botton Head	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1984	Shaw's Gate Quarry	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Roseberry Common	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1985	Duncombe Park	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Beck Hole	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Gormire	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Tripsdale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Whitby-Saltwick	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Tranmire	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	Iron Scar and Hundale Point To Scalby Ness	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	Rievaulx Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	Roseberry Topping	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Newtondale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1987	Farndale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Cropton Banks and Howlgate Head Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Sleightholme Dale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Pinkney and Gerrick Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Low Pasture	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Noddle End	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Nabgate	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1988	Port Mulgrave and Runswick	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1988	Cliff Ridge	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1989	Boulby Quarries	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1989	Blaiskey Bank Springs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1990	Cawthorn Moor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1991	Farndale Woodlands	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1991	Spiker's Hill Quarry	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1992	Troutsdale and Rosekirk Dale Fens	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1992	Fairy Call Beck	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1992	Hackness Rock Pit	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	-
1993	Snaper Farm Meadows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1993	Kildale Hall	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1994	Duncombe Park	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1996	Guisborough Branch Walkway	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1998	North York Moors	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	31
1999	Robin Hood's Bay: Maw Wyke to Beast Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1999	Harwood Dale Moor	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	-
2000	Arnecliff and Park Hole Woods	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2004	Caydale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2012	Castle Hill Deer Park and Windy Pits	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Shrubland	major (>10)	Scrub; Heathland
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)	Rivers and streams; Blanket bogs; Fens, transition mires and springs
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	minor (<10)	Inland cliffs
Artificial/Terrestrial	-	Arable land; Forestry plantations
Forest	-	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland
Grassland	-	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland; Humid grasslands; Mesophile grasslands

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	30
hunting	30
forestry	15
military	10
nature conservation and research	10
urban/industrial/transport	5
water management	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: North Yorkshire Moors (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/north-yorkshire-moors-iba-united-kingdom on 06/01/2025.