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 IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Loon Gavia immer | LC | winter (2001–2002) | 115 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2, 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 (2007) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | favourable | low | very low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Common Loon Gavia immer | 115 / 100 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no deterioration (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Little/none of site covered (<10%) | Unknown | Not assessed | very low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Eynhallow | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | <1 |
| 1996 | Onziebust | Nature Reserve (IV) | <1 |
| 2011 | Rousay | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 5 |
| 2014 | Wyre and Rousay Sounds | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 29 |
| 2014 | Wyre and Rousay Sounds | Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (IV) | 29 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | major (>10) | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| other | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sounds around Wyre (United Kingdom). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sounds-around-wyre-iba-united-kingdom on 08/01/2025.