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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 IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (2004)	97 breeding pairs	C6
Woodlark Lullula arborea	LC	breeding (2007)	176 males	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.

State (condition of the key species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	97 / 135 (males)	72	near favourable
Woodlark Lullula arborea	176 / 25 (males)	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%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Natural system modifications	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	moderate deteri­oration (10–30% in 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of site (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A manage­ment plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	North Warren	RSPB Reserve (-)	6
1939	North Warren	Nature Reserve (IV)	5
1956	Westleton Heath	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1970	Suffolk Coast and Heaths	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	100
1979	Suffolk	Heritage Coast (V)	5
1984	Tunstall Common	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1986	Iken Wood	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1987	Sutton and Hollesley Heaths	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	11
1987	Blaxhall Heath	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1989	Snape Warren	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	1
1992	Potton Hall Fields, Westleton	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1999	Leiston - Aldeburgh	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	7
1999	Dingle Marshes	Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2000	Sandlings Forest	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	58
2003	Suffolk Coast	National Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2004	Snape	Nature Reserve (IV)	2

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	-	Forestry plantations
Forest	-	Broadleaved deciduous woodland
Grassland	-
Shrubland	-	Heathland

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
forestry	-
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Suffolk Sandlings (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/suffolk-sandlings-iba-united-kingdom on 06/01/2025.