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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% 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

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
1969	South Bank of The Swale	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	6
1976	The Swale	National Nature Reserve (IV)	3
1989	Seasalter Levels	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	1
1990	The Swale	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	100
1996	Oare Marshes	Local Nature Reserve (IV)	1
1998	Elmley	National Nature Reserve (IV)	13
2007	Seasalter Levels	Nature Reserve (IV)	3
2009	Harty Marshes	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2010	Great Bells Farm	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2011	The Swale	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	43

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

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

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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 23/12/2024.