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

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	1990-1995	135 individuals	B3
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	winter	1990-1995	1,120 individuals	B1i, C3
Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica	LC	winter	2006	uncommon	A1, B2, C1

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.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
No known threats	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Insh Marshes	RSPB Reserve	59
1963	River Spey - Insh Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1973	Insh Marshes	Nature Reserve	67
1980	The Cairngorm Mountains	National Scenic Area	24
1989	River Feshie	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	2
1994	River Spey - Insh Marshes	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1997	River Spey - Insh Marshes	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1998	Insh Marshes	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
1999	River Spey	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
2003	Cairngorms	National Park	100
2003	Insh Marshes	National Nature Reserve	51

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid grasslands	-
Wetlands (inland)	Standing freshwater, Rivers and streams, Fens, transition mires and springs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	80
agriculture	50
fisheries/aquaculture	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: River Spey - Insh Marshes (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/river-spey--insh-marshes-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.