Data Zone
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 | 681 individuals | B1i, C3 |
| Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria | LC | winter | 2001-2006 | 1,260 individuals | C6 |
| Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres | NT | winter | 2001-2006 | 1,073 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | unfavourable | medium | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Reference | Actual | Units | % remaining | Result |
| Brent Goose Branta bernicla | 245 | 681 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
| Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria | 1,690 | 1,260 | individuals | 75 | near favourable |
| Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula | 545 | 255 | individuals | 47 | unfavourable |
| Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres | 1,240 | 1,073 | individuals | 87 | near favourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | 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 |
| 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(50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species) | A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Very little or no conservation action taking place | low |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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Ballymacormick Point | Nature Reserve | 1 |
| 1955 | Strangford Lough | Nature Reserve | 3 |
| 1965 | Kearney | Nature Reserve | 1 |
| 1972 | Strangford Lough | Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | - |
| 1984 | Orlock Point | Nature Reserve | <1 |
| 1988 | BALLYMACORMICK POINT | Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI) | 2 |
| 1995 | BALLYQUINTIN POINT | Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI) | <1 |
| 1995 | Strangford Lough | Marine Nature Reserve | 10 |
| 1998 | Outer Ards | Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) | 72 |
| 2001 | OUTER ARDS | Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI) | 78 |
| 2005 | Outer Ards | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 72 |
| 2010 | STRANGFORD & LECALE | Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NI) | 20 |
| 2011 | Outer Ards | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) | 65 |
| 2013 | Strangford Lough | Marine Conservation Zone | 12 |
| 2017 | North Channel | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) | 57 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Marine Neritic | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Outer Ards (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/outer-ards-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.