• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	LC	winter (2002–2006)	66–528 birds	B1i
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	breeding (2005–2007)	9–23 pairs	C6

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of area (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	60	Rivers and streams; Raised bogs; Water fringe vegetation
Grassland	40	Humid grasslands

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
agriculture	40
fisheries/aquaculture	40
water management	10

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: River Shannon callows: Portumna-Athlone (Ireland). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/river-shannon-callows:-portumna-athlone-iba-ireland on 26/12/2024.