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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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	2001-2006	208 individuals	B1i, C2
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	passage	2001-2006	17,972 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2001-2006	11,257 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	2001-2006	4,119 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	passage	1990-1995	3,210 individuals	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	1990-1995	5,850 individuals	C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	1990-1995	1,910 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	1990-1995	370 individuals	C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	1990-1995	770 individuals	B2, C6
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	1990-1995	6,500 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	1990-1995	3,070 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	1990-1995	2,470 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2002	1 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000	554 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2006	962 breeding pairs	C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	2000	54 breeding pairs	C6
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	LC	breeding	2006	663 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2000	894 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2006	1,137 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	1990-1995	56,793 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	23	208	individuals	100	favourable
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	10,700	11,257	individuals	100	favourable
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	2,080	4,119	individuals	100	favourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	565	962	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	280	663	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	530	1,137	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid 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	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Strangford Lough (Part 3)	Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)	-
-	Strangford Lough (Part 2)	Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)	5
-	Strangford Lough (Part 1)	Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)	10
1955	Strangford Lough	Nature Reserve	16
1955	Mount Stewart	Nature Reserve	<1
1972	Strangford Lough	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	-
1975	Dorn	National Nature Reserve	5
1977	KILLARD	National Nature Reserve	<1
1987	NORTH STRANGFORD LOUGH	National Nature Reserve	7
1987	BALLYQUINTIN POINT	National Nature Reserve	<1
1988	STRANGFORD LOUGH PART 1	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	10
1988	STRANGFORD LOUGH PART 2	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	3
1989	STRANGFORD LOUGH PART 3	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	10
1989	Strangford Bay & Sandy Island	Nature Reserve	<1
1995	KILLARD	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	<1
1995	BALLYQUINTIN POINT	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	<1
1995	Strangford Lough	Marine Nature Reserve	100
1996	Strangford Lough	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1996	Strangford Lough	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	96
1998	Strangford Loch	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1998	QUOILE	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	1
2005	Strangford Lough	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	94
2010	STRANGFORD & LECALE	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NI)	100
2011	Strangford Lough	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	92
2013	Strangford Lough	Marine Conservation Zone	93

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Marine Neritic		-
Wetlands (inland)	Fens, transition mires and springs	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Strangford Lough and islands (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/strangford-lough-and-islands-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.