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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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding	2004	81 males	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	729 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,452 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,619 individuals	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,120 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,168 individuals	B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	6,435 individuals	B2
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	5 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	191 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	248 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	213 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Dartford Warbler Curruca undata	NT	breeding	2006	73 males	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	36,091 individuals	A4iii, C4

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
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	43	81	males	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	125	729	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	315	1,452	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,790	1,619	individuals	91	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,490	2,168	individuals	100	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	810	1,120	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	5,500	6,435	individuals	100	favourable
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	6	5	breeding pairs	84	not assessed
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	150	248	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	105	213	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Dartford Warbler Curruca undata	71	73	males	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	27,027	36,091	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	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
Whole area of site (>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	% overlap with IBA
-	Wareham	RSPB Reserve	5
-	Arne	RSPB Reserve	6
1959	Dorset	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	78
1962	Brownsea Island	Nature Reserve	3
1976	Studland	Nature Reserve	5
1979	Arne	Nature Reserve	5
1980	Studland and Godlingston Heath	National Nature Reserve	4
1981	Purbeck	Heritage Coast	78
1982	Middlebere and Hartland	Nature Reserve	2
1985	Poole Harbour	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1985	The Moors	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1
1985	Arne Reedbeds	National Nature Reserve	<1
1985	Holton Heath	National Nature Reserve	<1
1986	Studland & Godlingston Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3
1986	Arne	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	3
1987	Wareham Meadows	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	7
1987	Rempstone Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1
1990	Poole Harbour	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	85
1995	Wareham Meadows	Nature Reserve	4
1997	Holton and Sandford Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1998	Dorset Heathlands	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	5
1999	Poole Harbour	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
2000	Turlin Moor	Local Nature Reserve	<1
2011	Poole Harbour	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	46

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Shrubland	Heathland	major (>10)
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Mixed woodland	minor (<10)
Grassland		minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams, Water fringe vegetation, Fens, transition mires and springs	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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 23/11/2024.