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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
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	2001-2006	2,329 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter	2001-2006	3,209 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	856 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,382 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,791 individuals	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	2,123 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,901 individuals	B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter	2001-2006	773 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	6,361 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage	2001-2006	5,743 individuals	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	10,290 individuals	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	2,013 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,847 individuals	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	30,747 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	58,573 individuals	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
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	3,140	2,099	individuals	67	unfavourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	700	502	individuals	72	near favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	3,460	3,209	individuals	93	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	1,610	2,329	individuals	100	favourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	665	346	individuals	53	unfavourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	925	856	individuals	93	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,140	1,791	individuals	84	near favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,530	1,382	individuals	91	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,710	2,123	individuals	100	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	2,110	1,901	individuals	91	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	750	452	individuals	61	unfavourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	850	773	individuals	91	favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	3,330	6,361	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	24,700	10,290	individuals	42	unfavourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	9,150	5,743	individuals	63	unfavourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	3,320	2,847	individuals	86	near favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,210	2,013	individuals	92	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	21,552	30,747	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	63,037	58,573	individuals	93	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

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 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

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Stour Estuary	RSPB Reserve	11
1970	Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	61
1978	Pin Mill	Nature Reserve	<1
1980	Stour Estuary	Nature Reserve	11
1984	Stour and Copperas Woods, Ramsey	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1985	Stour Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	59
1987	Orwell Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	36
1991	Stour and Orwell Estuaries	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	90
1993	Wrabness	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1994	Stour & Orwell Estuaries	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	91
1997	Bridge Wood	Local Nature Reserve	<1
1997	Pipers Vale	Local Nature Reserve	<1
2011	Stour and Orwell Estuaries	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	82

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Forest	Broadleaved deciduous woodland	minor (<10)
Grassland	Humid grasslands	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Stour and Orwell Estuaries (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/stour-and-orwell-estuaries-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.