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• 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
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	LC	winter	2001-2006	220 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,483 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	905 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	2001-2006	4,124 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	winter	2001-2006	684 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	2,389 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	2,521 individuals	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage	2001-2006	6,292 individuals	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	22,374 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	1,900 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,354 individuals	B1i, C3
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding	1999-2002	3,801 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	36,013 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	70,201 individuals	A4iii, C4

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 (2015) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	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
Natural system modifications	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	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1954	Bridgwater Bay	National Nature Reserve	10
1954	Brean Down	Nature Reserve	<1
1964	Middle Hope	Nature Reserve	<1
1965	Penarth Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1965	Sully Island	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1966	Redcliffe Bay	Nature Reserve	<1
1972	Flat Holm	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1976	Severn Estuary	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	98
1976	Severn Estuary (Wales)	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	25
1977	FLAT HOLM	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1983	Steep Holm	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1984	Brean Down	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1984	Uphill Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	Blue Anchor To Lilstock Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	Middle Hope	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	Portishead Pier To Black Nore	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	Berrow Dunes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	Aust Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	Purton Passage	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1987	Upper Severn Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	6
1988	Uphill	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1989	Severn Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	39
1989	Bridgwater Bay	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	25
1989	Ellenborough Park West	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1990	Lydney Cliff	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1991	Spring Cove Cliffs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1991	Clevedon Shore	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	-
1993	Church and Wains Hill	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1993	Berrow Dunes	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1993	Eastwood and Battery Point	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1996	Severn Estuary	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	98
2006	Weston Woods	Local Nature Reserve	<1
2007	Severn Estuary/ Môr Hafren	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	95
2008	Severn Estuary / Môr Hafren	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	87
2008	Newport Wetlands	National Nature Reserve	2
2010	Gwlyptiroedd Casnewydd / Newport Wetlands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
2011	Severn Estuary	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	83

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Forest	Mixed woodland	minor (<10)
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland, Humid grasslands	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)
Shrubland	Scrub, Heathland	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
water management	-
tourism/recreation	-
nature conservation and research	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Severn Estuary (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/severn-estuary-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.