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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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (2004)	81 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage (2001–2006)	729 birds	B1i, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (2001–2006)	1,452 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,619 birds	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2001–2006)	1,120 birds	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (2001–2006)	2,168 birds	B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (2001–2006)	6,435 birds	B2
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding (2000)	5 pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2000)	191 pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2006)	248 pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (2006)	213 pairs	B2, C6
Dartford Warbler Curruca undata	NT	breeding (2006)	73 males	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	36,091 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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	81 / 43 (males)	100	good
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	729 / 125 (birds)	100	good
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	1,452 / 315 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,619 / 1,790 (birds)	91	good
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,120 / 810 (birds)	100	good
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	2,168 / 1,490 (birds)	100	good
Dunlin Calidris alpina	6,435 / 5,500 (birds)	100	good
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	5 / 6 (pairs)	84	not assessed
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	248 / 150 (pairs)	100	good
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	213 / 105 (pairs)	100	good
Dartford Warbler Curruca undata	73 / 71 (males)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	36,091 / 27,027 (birds)	100	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

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 compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Wareham	RSPB Reserve (-)	5
-	Arne	RSPB Reserve (-)	6
1959	Dorset	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	78
1962	Brownsea Island	Nature Reserve (V)	3
1976	Studland	Nature Reserve (V)	5
1979	Arne	Nature Reserve (IV)	5
1980	Studland and Godlingston Heath	National Nature Reserve (IV)	4
1981	Purbeck	Heritage Coast (V)	78
1982	Middlebere and Hartland	Nature Reserve (V)	2
1985	The Moors	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1985	Arne Reedbeds	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1985	Holton Heath	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1986	Studland & Godlingston Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	3
1986	Arne	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	3
1987	Wareham Meadows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	7
1987	Rempstone Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1990	Poole Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	85
1995	Wareham Meadows	Nature Reserve (IV)	4
1997	Holton and Sandford Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2000	Turlin Moor	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2011	Poole Harbour	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	46

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Shrubland	major (>10)	Heathland
Forest	minor (<10)	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland
Grassland	minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	minor (<10)	Rivers and streams; Water fringe vegetation; Fens, transition mires and springs

Land use	% of IBA
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Poole Harbour (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/poole-harbour-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.