UK230
Rinns of Islay


IBA Justification

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
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis LC winter (1994–1997) 3,640 birds A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons LC winter (1994–1997) 2,590 birds B1i, C2, C3, C6
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax LC resident (2002) 26 pairs B2, C6

IBA Conservation

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.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2007 good medium medium
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes population good

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Actual vs Reference (units) % remaining Result
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 26 / 21 (pairs) 100 good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Residential and commercial development happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) slow decline (1–10% 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity medium

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
- Loch Gruinart/Ardnave RSPB Reserve (-) 7
1983 Loch Gruinart & Ardnave Nature Reserve (IV) 8
1983 Glac na Criche Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 3
1984 Feur Lochain - Moine nam Faoileann Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 4
1987 Rinns of Islay Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 89
1996 Smaull Farm Nature Reserve (IV) 4

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable land
Forest - Mixed woodland
Grassland - Humid grasslands; Machair
Marine Coastal/Supratidal -
Shrubland - Heathland
Wetlands (inland) - Standing freshwater; Blanket bogs

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture 90
urban/industrial/transport 5
water management 5


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rinns of Islay (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rinns-of-islay-iba-united-kingdom on 06/12/2024.