• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	613 individuals	B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage	2001-2006	904 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,108 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	35,429 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 Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	500	613	individuals	100	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	940	904	individuals	97	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	1,100	1,108	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	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%)	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	happening now	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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Not assessed	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1968	Sandwich and Pegwell Bays	Nature Reserve	8
1982	Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	72
1990	Thanet Coast	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	31
1991	Bishopstone Cliffs	Local Nature Reserve	2
1993	Sandwich Bay To Hacklinge Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	69
1994	Thanet Coast & Sandwich Bay	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	83
1996	Sandwich Bay	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	43
1996	Thanet Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	20
1999	Sandwich & Pegwell Bay	National Nature Reserve	23
2000	Prince's Beachlands	Local Nature Reserve	<1
2005	Thanet Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	16
2007	Lydden Valley	Nature Reserve	5
2011	Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	40
2013	Thanet Coast	Marine Conservation Zone	17
2013	Tankerton Slopes And Swalecliffe	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
2014	Thanet Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	17

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)
Shrubland	Scrub	minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Fens, transition mires and springs	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/thanet-coast-and-sandwich-bay-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.