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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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 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 (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1965	Ainsdale Sand Dunes	National Nature Reserve (IV)	1
1967	Formby	Nature Reserve (V)	1
1980	Ainsdale and Birkdale Hills	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1981	Ribble Estuary	National Nature Reserve (IV)	37
1983	Ravenmeols Hills	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1984	Ribble Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	75
1991	Lytham St, Anne's Dunes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1991	Cabin Hill	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1994	Marshside	Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2000	Sefton Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	23
2006	Hesketh Out Marsh	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2011	Ribble and Alt Estuaries	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	75

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

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 23/12/2024.