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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
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata	LC	breeding	2006	21 breeding pairs	C6
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus	LC	breeding	2005	22 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus	LC	breeding	2007	47-58 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Merlin Falco columbarius	LC	breeding	2006	6 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
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata	16	21	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Circus cyaneus	23	47	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Merlin Falco columbarius	10	6	breeding pairs	60	not assessed

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Hobbister	RSPB Reserve	11
-	Birsay Moors	RSPB Reserve	28
1962	West Mainland Moorlands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	57
1971	Cottascarth & Rendall Moss	Nature Reserve	4
1972	Hobbister	Nature Reserve	11
1973	Birsay Moors	Nature Reserve	28
1973	Orphir and Stenness Hills	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	20
1973	Glims Moss and Durka Dale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	4
1980	Hoy and West Mainland	National Scenic Area	13
1988	Keelylang Hill and Swartaback Burn	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	21
2000	Orkney Mainland Moors	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid grasslands	-
Shrubland	Scrub, Heathland	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Blanket bogs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	major (>10)
not utilised	major (>10)
other	minor (<10)
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ornkey Mainland Moors (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ornkey-mainland-moors-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.