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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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	2001-2006	341 individuals	B1i, B3, C2, C6
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter	2001-2006	24-224 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage	2001-2006	9,165 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	10,248 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,423 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	passage	2001-2006	34,259 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	2001-2006	77,540 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,245 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,057 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	2001-2006	7,064 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	passage	2001-2006	17,566 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter	2001-2006	18,518 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	2001-2006	3,884 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter	2001-2006	5,007 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,971 individuals	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,457 individuals	C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,306 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	2,357 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,197 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	9,195 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	14,625 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	3,280 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,694 individuals	B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage	2001-2006	39,864 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	50,639 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	passage	2001-2006	5,142 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,961 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage	2001-2006	25,469 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	21,642 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	2,982 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,440 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding	1998	4,108 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C3
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	98 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2003	111 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding	1998-1999	19,378 breeding pairs	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	167,614 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	262,917 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	94	341	individuals	100	favourable
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	180	224	individuals	100	favourable
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	17,900	10,248	individuals	58	unfavourable
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	3,530	3,423	individuals	97	favourable
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	78,000	77,540	individuals	100	favourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	1,880	2,245	individuals	100	favourable
Anas crecca	7,050	7,064	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	13,000	17,566	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	16,700	18,518	individuals	100	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	7,550	3,884	individuals	52	unfavourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	5,400	5,007	individuals	93	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	2,340	2,971	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	4,470	3,457	individuals	78	near favourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	1,230	1,306	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,170	2,357	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,840	2,197	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	15,500	14,625	individuals	95	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	13,500	9,195	individuals	69	unfavourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	2,600	3,280	individuals	100	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	820	1,694	individuals	100	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	830	277	individuals	34	very unfavourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	64,000	39,864	individuals	63	unfavourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	56,000	50,639	individuals	91	favourable
Sanderling Calidris alba	6,800	5,142	individuals	76	near favourable
Sanderling Calidris alba	3,150	2,961	individuals	94	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	33,400	25,469	individuals	77	near favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	37,000	21,642	individuals	59	unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	3,480	2,982	individuals	86	near favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	3,040	3,440	individuals	100	favourable
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	1,780	4,108	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	230	111	breeding pairs	49	unfavourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	159,438	167,614	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	281,231	262,917	individuals	94	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	11,335	19,378	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

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 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
1965	Ainsdale Sand Dunes	National Nature Reserve	1
1967	Formby	Nature Reserve	1
1980	Ainsdale and Birkdale Hills	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1981	Ribble Estuary	National Nature Reserve	37
1983	Ravenmeols Hills	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1984	Ribble Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	75
1985	Ribble & Alt Estuaries	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1991	Lytham St, Anne's Dunes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1991	Cabin Hill	National Nature Reserve	<1
1992	Ribble and Alt Estuaries	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1994	Marshside	Nature Reserve	1
1996	Sefton Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	25
2000	Sefton Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	23
2006	Hesketh Out Marsh	Nature Reserve	<1
2011	Ribble and Alt Estuaries	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	75

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Grassland		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ribble and Alt Estuaries (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ribble-and-alt-estuaries-iba-united-kingdom on 22/11/2024.