Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A medium-sized, rocky, marine island with an automated lighthouse, located 2 km off the west coast of County Donegal, and 9 km south-west of Glencolumbkille.
This is an important site for wintering wildfowl and breeding seabirds. Seabirds breeding in nationally important numbers include
Larus argentatus (460-550 pairs, 1987) and
Larus marinus (45-60 pairs, 1987).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Fishing in surrounding waters may deplete the prey stock of seabirds, with implications for their breeding success. The site is a proposed (by NPW) Special Protection Area (Rathlin O'Birne, 154 ha).
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rathlin O'Birne (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rathlin-obirne-iba-ireland on 23/11/2024.
