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

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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	passage (2001–2006)	4,669 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter (2001–2006)	20,273 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	2,895 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	31,901 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage (2001–2006)	3,923 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter (2001–2006)	8,150 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter (2001–2006)	867 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	passage (2001–2006)	15,514 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter (2001–2006)	14,781 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage (2001–2006)	473 birds	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (2001–2006)	155 birds	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding (2006)	78 pairs	B3, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage (2001–2006)	8,741 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter (2001–2006)	7,189 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	passage (2001–2006)	16,620 birds	B1i, C2, C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter (2001–2006)	21,579 birds	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage (2001–2006)	885 birds	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage (2001–2006)	9,309 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2001–2006)	3,603 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage (2001–2006)	10,770 birds	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter (2001–2006)	15,603 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (2001–2006)	4,798 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2001–2006)	7,880 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage (2001–2006)	1,114 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage (2001–2006)	39,714 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter (2001–2006)	84,086 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	passage (2001–2006)	3,285 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage (2001–2006)	33,260 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter (2001–2006)	31,944 birds	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage (2001–2006)	7,043 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (2001–2006)	3,225 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	breeding (1994)	580 pairs	B1i, B2, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding (1999)	1 pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2001)	68 pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding (2004)	19 pairs	C6
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding (2004)	2 pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	199,862 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2001–2006)	312,262 birds	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (2001–2006)	83,376 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	23 / 70 (birds)	33	not assessed
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	15 / 45 (birds)	34	not assessed
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	20,273 / 23,028 (birds)	89	moderate
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	31,901 / 24,913 (birds)	100	good
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	8,150 / 12,792 (birds)	64	poor
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	867 / 255 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	15,514 / 15,069 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	14,781 / 20,399 (birds)	73	moderate
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	473 / 370 (birds)	100	good
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	155 / 168 (birds)	93	good
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	78 / 45 (pairs)	100	good
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	8,741 / 4,651 (birds)	100	good
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	7,189 / 9,488 (birds)	76	moderate
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	16,620 / 4,869 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	21,579 / 16,670 (birds)	100	good
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	885 / 1,079 (birds)	83	moderate
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	3,225 / 2,912 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	9,309 / 9,017 (birds)	100	good
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	3,603 / 3,550 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	10,770 / 10,732 (birds)	100	good
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	15,603 / 13,337 (birds)	100	good
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	7,880 / 3,374 (birds)	100	good
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	1,114 / 797 (birds)	100	good
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	438 / 678 (birds)	65	poor
Red Knot Calidris canutus	84,086 / 73,803 (birds)	100	good
Red Knot Calidris canutus	39,714 / 55,542 (birds)	72	moderate
Sanderling Calidris alba	3,285 / 1,310 (birds)	100	good
Dunlin Calidris alpina	33,260 / 29,558 (birds)	100	good
Dunlin Calidris alpina	31,944 / 34,994 (birds)	92	good
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	7,043 / 6,254 (birds)	100	good
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	68 / 230 (pairs)	30	very poor
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	19 / 23 (pairs)	83	moderate
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	2 / 2 (pairs)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	199,862 / 191,535 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	312,262 / 271,811 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	83,370 / 165,007 (birds)	51	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (<4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (>4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Biological resource use	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
Most of area (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
1968	Norfolk Coast	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V)	8
1972	Snettisham	Nature Reserve (IV)	3
1984	Frampton Marsh	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1984	Gibraltar Point	National Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
1984	Hunstanton Cliffs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
1986	The Wash	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	89
1986	The Wash	National Nature Reserve (IV)	12
1988	Gibraltar Point	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	<1
2001	Freiston Shore	Nature Reserve (IV)	1
2005	The Wash and North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	84
2011	The Wash	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	84
2011	Gibraltar Point	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	-
military	-
nature conservation and research	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: The Wash (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/the-wash-iba-united-kingdom on 23/12/2024.