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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
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus	LC	breeding	2007	22 breeding pairs	C6
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus	LC	winter	2007	15-20 individuals	C6

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Burhinus oedicnemus	18	22	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Circus cyaneus	10	15	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant 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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1993	Salisbury Plain	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1995	Salisbury Plain	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1996	Salisbury Plain	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland	-
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland, Humid grasslands	-
Shrubland	Heathland	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers and streams	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
military	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Salisbury Plain (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/salisbury-plain-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.