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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
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage (2001–2006)	2,329 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter (2001–2006)	3,209 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage (2001–2006)	856 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage (2001–2006)	1,382 birds	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,791 birds	B2
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2001–2006)	2,123 birds	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (2001–2006)	1,901 birds	B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter (2001–2006)	773 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter (2001–2006)	6,361 birds	B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage (2001–2006)	5,743 birds	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (2001–2006)	10,290 birds	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	2,013 birds	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	2,847 birds	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	30,747 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	58,573 birds	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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	2,099 / 3,140 (birds)	67	poor
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	502 / 700 (birds)	72	moderate
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	3,209 / 3,460 (birds)	93	good
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	2,329 / 1,610 (birds)	100	good
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	856 / 925 (birds)	93	good
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	346 / 665 (birds)	53	poor
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,382 / 1,530 (birds)	91	good
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,791 / 2,140 (birds)	84	moderate
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,901 / 2,110 (birds)	91	good
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	2,123 / 1,710 (birds)	100	good
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	773 / 850 (birds)	91	good
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	452 / 750 (birds)	61	poor
Red Knot Calidris canutus	6,361 / 3,330 (birds)	100	good
Dunlin Calidris alpina	5,743 / 9,150 (birds)	63	poor
Dunlin Calidris alpina	10,290 / 24,700 (birds)	42	poor
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,847 / 3,320 (birds)	86	moderate
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,013 / 2,210 (birds)	92	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	30,747 / 21,552 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	58,573 / 63,037 (birds)	93	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Pollution	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% 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

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Stour Estuary	RSPB Reserve (-)	11
1970	Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	61
1978	Pin Mill	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
1980	Stour Estuary	Nature Reserve (IV)	11
1984	Stour and Copperas Woods, Ramsey	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1985	Stour Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	59
1987	Orwell Estuary	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	36
1993	Wrabness	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1997	Bridge Wood	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1997	Pipers Vale	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2011	Stour and Orwell Estuaries	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	82

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

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 23/12/2024.