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Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A long, sinuous stretch of semi-natural, lowland wet grassland (callows) alongside the River Suck, in Counties Galway and Roscommon. This site extends for 50 km from Castlecoote in the north to Shannonbridge in the south where it meets the River Shannon callows (site 131). The callows are seasonally flooded between October and April. The area is flanked by raised bogs, many of which have been converted to agricultural use following peat extraction.
This is an important site for wintering waterfowl. Additional species wintering in numbers of national importance include
Anas penelope (1,351 birds, 1995) and
Vanellus vanellus (3,282 birds, 1995).
Crex crex was breeding until recently (1 pair, 1993).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Crex crex is highly sensitive to changes in farming practice. Agricultural intensification is likely to have caused the decline and eventual loss of breeding
Crex crex at this site. Water and habitat quality are threatened by siltation due to mechanical peat extraction in surrounding areas. Wildfowling is likely to cause disturbance to wintering birds.
National Partial
International Partial1,100 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Muckanagh Wildfowl Sanctuary, 1,100 ha). 3,225 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (River Suck Callows: Shannon Bridge-Athleague, 3,225 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: River Suck callows: Shannon Bridge-Castlecoote (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/river-suck-callows:-shannon-bridge-castlecoote-iba-ireland on 23/12/2024.
