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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
Razorbill Alca torda	LC	breeding	1999	20,860 individuals	A4ii, B1ii, B3, C3
Common Murre Uria aalge	LC	breeding	1999	95,117 individuals	B1ii, C3
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding	1999	81,416 breeding pairs	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding	1999	10,566 breeding pairs	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
Razorbill Alca torda	8,955	20,860	individuals	100	favourable
Common Murre Uria aalge	62,537	95,117	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - seabirds	51,977	81,416	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	11,206	10,566	breeding pairs	95	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	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
Some of site covered (10-49%)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Rathlin	RSPB Reserve	7
1976	Rathlin	Nature Reserve	12
1976	Kebble	National Nature Reserve	9
1988	ANTRIM COAST & GLENS AONB	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NI)	94
1988	Antrim Coast and Glens	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	100
1991	RATHLIN ISLAND COAST	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	18
1991	RATHLIN ISLAND - BALLYGILL NORTH	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	5
1991	RATHLIN ISLAND - BALLYCARRY	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	3
1991	RATHLIN ISLAND - KINRAMER SOUTH	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	2
1998	Rathlin Island	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	16
2003	Rathlin Island	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	16
2005	Rathlin Island	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	5
2010	Church Bay	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	1
2011	Rathlin Island - Kebble	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	9
2011	Rathlin Island	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	5
2016	Rathlin	Marine Conservation Zone	4

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Wetlands (inland)		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
not utilised	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rathlin Island (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rathlin-island-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.