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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (2004)	63 males	B2
Woodlark Lullula arborea	LC	breeding (2004)	25 breeding pairs	C6

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the key species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	65 / 55 (breeding pairs)	100	favourable
Woodlark Lullula arborea	35 / 80 (breeding pairs)	44	unfavourable

State (condition of the key species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Shrubland	very poor (<40%)	very poor (<40%)	very unfavourable
Forest	poor (40–69%)	poor (40–69%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happen­ing now	whole popul­ation/area (>90%)	moderate deteri­oration (10–30% in 3 gener­ations)	very high
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happen­ing now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Residential and commercial development	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Energy production and mining	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of site covered (10–49%)	No manage­ment plan exists, but the manage­ment planning process has begun	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	The Greenwood (Community Forest)	Other Conservation Area (-)	30
1946	Clumber Park	Nature Reserve (V)	8
1983	Birklands and Bilhaugh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	7
1983	Clumber Park	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	6
1983	Rainworth Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Sherwood Forest Golf Course	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1987	Sherwood Heath	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1987	Clipstone Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1989	Strawberry Hill Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2000	Oak Tree Heath	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2001	Birklands West and Ollerton Corner	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	6
2002	Sherwood Forest	National Nature Reserve (IV)	6
2005	Cockglode and Rotary Wood	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	major (>10)	Mixed woodland
Shrubland	major (>10)	Heathland

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	major (>10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sherwood Forest (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sherwood-forest-iba-united-kingdom on 06/01/2025.