Data Zone
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 ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus | LC | breeding (2000–2001) | 2,560 pairs | B2, C6 |
| Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus | LC | breeding (1998) | 151,000 pairs | A4ii, B1ii, B2, C3 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus | LC | breeding (1999–2004) | 15,049 pairs | A4i, B1i, B3, C3 |
| Razorbill Alca torda | LC | breeding (1999–2004) | 5,398 pairs | B3 |
| Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus | LC | breeding (1999–2004) | 2 pairs | B2, C6 |
| Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | LC | resident (1999–2004) | 4–5 pairs | C6 |
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | n/a | breeding (1999–2001) | 177,257 pairs | A4iii, C4 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | breeding (1999–2001) | 15,736 pairs | A4iii, C4 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | poor | high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus | 2,560 / 4,400 (pairs) | 59 | poor | ||
| Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus | 151,000 / 157,000 (pairs) | 97 | good | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus | 15,049 / 18,500 (pairs) | 82 | moderate | ||
| Razorbill Alca torda | 5,398 / 2,870 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus | 2 / 15 (pairs) | 14 | not assessed | ||
| Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | 5 / 5 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | 177,257 / 175,954 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 15,736 / 21,776 (pairs) | 73 | moderate | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Biological resource use | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (>4 years) | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Energy production and mining | likely in long term (>4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>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 (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Marloes Peninsula | Nature Reserve (V) | 1 |
| 1952 | Pembrokeshire Coast | National Park (V) | 100 |
| 1954 | Skomer Island & Middleholm | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 74 |
| 1954 | Skokholm | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 25 |
| 1959 | Skomer Island | National Nature Reserve (IV) | 72 |
| 1990 | Skomer | Marine Nature Reserve (IV) | 5 |
| 2005 | Pembrokeshire Marine / Sir Benfro Forol | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 11 |
| 2008 | Skokholm | National Nature Reserve (IV) | 21 |
| 2017 | West Wales Marine / Gorllewin Cymru Forol | Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (UA) | 12 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | - | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Shrubland | - | Heathland |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation; Fens, transition mires and springs |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Skokholm and Skomer (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/skokholm-and-skomer-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.