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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
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,669 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2001-2006	20,273 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	passage	2001-2006	2,895 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	31,901 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage	2001-2006	3,923 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	2001-2006	8,150 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	867 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	passage	2001-2006	15,514 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter	2001-2006	14,781 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	passage	2001-2006	473 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	2001-2006	155 individuals	B2, C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding	2006	78 breeding pairs	B3, C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	passage	2001-2006	8,741 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter	2001-2006	7,189 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	passage	2001-2006	16,620 individuals	B1i, C2, C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	21,579 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	passage	2001-2006	885 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	9,309 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	3,603 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	10,770 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2, C6
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	15,603 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter	2001-2006	4,798 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage	2001-2006	7,880 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	NT	passage	2001-2006	1,114 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage	2001-2006	39,714 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	84,086 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	passage	2001-2006	3,285 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage	2001-2006	33,260 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	31,944 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	7,043 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,225 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	breeding	1994	580 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding	1999	1 breeding pairs	C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2001	68 breeding pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding	2004	19 breeding pairs	C6
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding	2004	2 breeding pairs	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	199,862 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	312,262 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	83,376 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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	70	23	individuals	33	not assessed
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus	45	15	individuals	34	not assessed
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	23,028	20,273	individuals	89	near favourable
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	24,913	31,901	individuals	100	favourable
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	12,792	8,150	individuals	64	unfavourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	255	867	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	15,069	15,514	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	20,399	14,781	individuals	73	near favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	45	78	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	370	473	individuals	100	favourable
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	168	155	individuals	93	favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	9,488	7,189	individuals	76	near favourable
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	4,651	8,741	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	4,869	16,620	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	16,670	21,579	individuals	100	favourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	1,079	885	individuals	83	near favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	3,550	3,603	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	2,912	3,225	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	9,017	9,309	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	10,732	10,770	individuals	100	favourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	13,337	15,603	individuals	100	favourable
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	3,374	7,880	individuals	100	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	797	1,114	individuals	100	favourable
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	678	438	individuals	65	unfavourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	55,542	39,714	individuals	72	near favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	73,803	84,086	individuals	100	favourable
Sanderling Calidris alba	1,310	3,285	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	29,558	33,260	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	34,994	31,944	individuals	92	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	6,254	7,043	individuals	100	favourable
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	230	68	breeding pairs	30	very unfavourable
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	23	19	breeding pairs	83	near favourable
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	2	2	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	271,811	312,262	individuals	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	165,007	83,370	individuals	51	unfavourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	191,535	199,862	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)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	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
Biological resource use	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other 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	% overlap with IBA
1968	Norfolk Coast	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	8
1972	Snettisham	Nature Reserve	3
1984	Frampton Marsh	Nature Reserve	<1
1984	Gibraltar Point	National Nature Reserve	<1
1984	Hunstanton Cliffs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1986	The Wash	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	89
1986	The Wash	National Nature Reserve	12
1988	The Wash	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	89
1988	Gibraltar Point	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1993	Gibraltar Point	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	<1
1996	The Wash And North Norfolk Coast	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	89
2001	The Wash	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	89
2001	Freiston Shore	Nature Reserve	1
2005	The Wash and North Norfolk Coast	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	84
2011	The Wash	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	84
2011	Gibraltar Point	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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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 22/11/2024.