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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
Leach's Storm-petrel Hydrobates leucorhous	VU	breeding	1999	45,433 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis	LC	breeding	1999	68,448 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, C3
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus	LC	breeding	1999	61,340 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, B2, C3
Great Skua Catharacta skua	LC	breeding	1999	168 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, B3, C3
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	VU	breeding	1999	143,264 breeding pairs	A4ii, B1ii, B2, C3
Razorbill Alca torda	LC	breeding	1999	1,689 individuals	B3
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding	1999	341,941 breeding pairs	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 (2007) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Hydrobates leucorhous	3,200	45,433	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis	63,000	68,448	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus	60,500	61,340	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Great Skua Catharacta skua	145	168	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	130,000	143,264	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Razorbill Alca torda	3,821	1,689	individuals	45	unfavourable
A4iii Species group - seabirds	275,738	341,941	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high

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	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1957	St Kilda	National Nature Reserve	99
1964	St Kilda	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	99
1976	St Kilda	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	100
1980	St Kilda	National Scenic Area	100
1986	St Kilda	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	100
1996	St Kilda	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	100
2005	St Kilda	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	9
2008	St Kilda	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
2011	St Kilda	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	9

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Shrubland	Heathland	83
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		10
Grassland	Humid grasslands	5
Artificial/Terrestrial	Other urban and industrial areas	2

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	98
military	2

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: St Kilda (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/st-kilda-iba-united-kingdom on 22/11/2024.