Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
This site follows the Little Brosna river from its junction with the River Shannon callows (site 131) for 9 km south-eastwards to just beyond New Bridge. It is situated 6 km north-west of Birr, in Counties Offaly and Tipperary. The main habitat is callow (low-lying, semi-natural, wet grassland), which is seasonally flooded between October and April.
This is an internationally important wetland, regularly supporting over 20,000 wintering waterfowl. Additional species wintering in numbers of national importance include
Anas platyrhynchos (700 birds, 1996),
Anas acuta (250 birds, 1996),
Anas clypeata (200 birds, 1996),
Pluvialis apricaria (8,100 birds, 1996),
Vanellus vanellus (6,500 birds, 1995) and
Calidris alpina (1,250 birds, 1995). Until recently
Crex crex were breeding (2 pairs, 1993).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Crex crex is highly sensitive to changes in farming practice. The intensification of farming, with earlier mowing and the replacement of hay with silage (involving earlier mowing, increased use of fertilizer, and multiple silage cuts), is likely to have caused the decline and eventual absence of breeding
Crex crex from this site. Further, an extension of the grazing season and higher stocking rates have increased the risk of disturbance to breeding waders. Disturbance to wintering birds is minimized by the bogland to the south of the site, which serves to isolate it. However, wildfowling on parts of the site is likely to cause disturbance.
National None
International High1,154 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (River Little Brosna Callows: New Bridge-River Shannon, 1,154 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: River Little Brosna callows: New Bridge - River Shannon (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/river-little-brosna-callows:-new-bridge--river-shannon-iba-ireland on 22/11/2024.
