UK064
Solent Marshes and Southampton Water


IBA Justification

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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla LC winter (2001–2006) 6,678 birds A4i, B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca LC winter (2001–2006) 4,898 birds B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata NT winter (2001–2006) 1,373 birds B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NT winter (2001–2006) 1,158 birds B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina NT winter (2001–2006) 8,825 birds B2
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus LC breeding (2000) 11 pairs C6
Little Tern Sternula albifrons LC breeding (2006) 54 pairs B2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo LC breeding (2006) 377 pairs C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo LC breeding (2000) 192 pairs C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea LC breeding (2000) 22 pairs C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis LC breeding (2006) 224 pairs B2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis LC breeding (2000) 268 pairs B2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a winter (2001–2006) 53,809 birds A4iii, C4

IBA Conservation

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 medium
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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla 6,678 / 7,700 (birds) 87 moderate
Anas crecca 4,898 / 3,750 (birds) 100 good
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula 393 / 615 (birds) 64 poor
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula 312 / 575 (birds) 55 poor
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 1,373 / 1,750 (birds) 79 moderate
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 1,158 / 985 (birds) 100 good
Dunlin Calidris alpina 8,825 / 12,300 (birds) 72 moderate
Little Tern Sternula albifrons 54 / 41 (pairs) 100 good
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 377 / 450 (pairs) 84 moderate
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 22 / 41 (pairs) 54 poor
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 224 / 300 (pairs) 75 moderate
A4iii Species group - waterbirds 7,447 / 15,037 (pairs) 50 poor
A4iii Species group - waterbirds 53,809 / 48,965 (birds) 100 good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Residential and commercial development happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) high
Natural system modifications happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Climate change and severe weather happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Transportation and service corridors likely in short term (<4 years) some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Biological resource use happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Whole area (>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

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
- Keyhaven Marshes National Nature Reserve (-) 5
1925 St Helen's Duver & Priory Wood Nature Reserve (V) <1
1927 Hamble River Nature Reserve (V) <1
1933 Newtown Nature Reserve (V) 3
1963 Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V) 14
1966 Newtown Marshes Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1
1967 South Hampshire Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V) 36
1973 Titchfield Haven Local Nature Reserve (IV) 1
1979 Calshot Marshes Local Nature Reserve (IV) 1
1980 North Solent National Nature Reserve (IV) 10
1983 Titchfield Haven Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 2
1984 Hythe To Calshot Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 10
1984 Sowley Pond Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1984 Lymington River Reedbeds Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) <1
1984 Lincegrove and Hackett's Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) <1
1985 Yar Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1986 Hurst Castle and Lymington River Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 20
1986 Lower Test Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 2
1986 Eling and Bury Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 2
1986 Whitecliff Bay and Bembridge Ledges Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1987 Upper Hamble Estuary and Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1987 King's Quay Shore Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1988 Hamstead Heritage Coast (V) 9
1988 Hook with Warsash Local Nature Reserve (IV) 3
1988 Mercury Marshes Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1
1990 North Solent Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 15
1990 Lymington-Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve (IV) 2
1991 Chessel Bay Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1
1992 Lee-On-The Solent To Itchen Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 10
1994 Boldre Foreshore Local Nature Reserve (IV) 3
1995 Brading Marshes To St, Helen's Ledges Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 8
1995 Newtown Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 8
1995 Ryde Sands and Wootton Creek Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 7
1995 Newtown Harbour National Nature Reserve (IV) 2
1995 Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve (IV) 2
1995 Thorness Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1995 Medina Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 1
1995 Hackett's Marsh Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1
1997 Lymington River Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) <1
2001 Brading Marshes Nature Reserve (IV) 4
2001 Dibden Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) 4
2005 New Forest National Park (V) 50
2005 Solent Maritime Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) 22
2009 Sturt Pond Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1
2010 Holly Hill Woodland Park Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1
2011 Solent and Southampton Water Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) 47
2011 Lepe Point Local Nature Reserve (IV) <1

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal major (>10)
Marine Neritic major (>10)
Forest minor (<10) Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland
Grassland minor (<10) Steppes and dry calcareous grassland; Mesophile grasslands
Marine Coastal/Supratidal minor (<10)

Land use

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


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Solent Marshes and Southampton Water (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/solent-marshes-and-southampton-water-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.