• 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
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	2001-2006	17,877 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	831 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter	2001-2006	4,709 individuals	B1i, C3
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	377 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	582 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2002	254 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	2001-2006	1,803 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	10,032 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	665 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,456 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	335 individuals	C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	613 individuals	B2, C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,705 individuals	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,403 individuals	B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	3,010 individuals	B2
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	winter	2001-2006	69 individuals	C6
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	9,617 individuals	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,637 individuals	B1i, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	2000	13 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	35,006 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	83,177 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
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	460	370	individuals	81	near favourable
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	11,600	17,877	individuals	100	favourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	830	831	individuals	100	favourable
Anas crecca	2,960	4,709	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	170	582	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	75	254	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	130	377	individuals	100	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	2,020	1,609	individuals	80	near favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	1,890	1,803	individuals	96	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	2,640	10,032	individuals	100	favourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	605	665	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,550	1,079	individuals	70	near favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	1,530	1,456	individuals	96	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	460	613	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	410	335	individuals	82	near favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	760	1,705	individuals	100	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	1,520	1,403	individuals	93	favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	4,760	3,010	individuals	64	not assessed
Ruff Calidris pugnax	73	69	individuals	95	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	11,150	9,617	individuals	87	near favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,250	1,637	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	1,540	1,471	individuals	96	favourable
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	5	13	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	67,440	83,177	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
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
Human intrusions and disturbance	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
1969	South Bank of The Swale	Local Nature Reserve	6
1976	The Swale	National Nature Reserve	3
1985	The Swale	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
1989	Seasalter Levels	Local Nature Reserve	1
1990	The Swale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1996	Oare Marshes	Local Nature Reserve	1
1998	The Swale	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
1998	Elmley	National Nature Reserve	13
2007	Seasalter Levels	Nature Reserve	3
2009	Harty Marshes	Nature Reserve	<1
2010	Great Bells Farm	Nature Reserve	<1
2011	The Swale	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	43
2016	The Swale Estuary	Marine Conservation Zone	42

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland	Humid grasslands	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable land	minor (<10)
Shrubland	Scrub	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: The Swale (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/the-swale-iba-united-kingdom on 22/11/2024.