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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 IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (2006)	89 males	C6

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 key species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	89 / 82 (males)	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A compre­hensive and appropriate manage­ment plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the popul­ations of qualify­ing bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1986	Thorne Crowle and Goole Moors	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	58
1989	Hatfield Moors	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV)	43
1995	Humberhead Peatlands	National Nature Reserve (IV)	41

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Shrubland	-	Scrub; Heathland
Wetlands (inland)	-	Standing freshwater; Raised bogs; Fens, transition mires and springs

Land use	% of IBA
other	60
nature conservation and research	30
agriculture	10

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Thorne and Hatfield Moors (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/thorne-and-hatfield-moors-iba-united-kingdom on 06/01/2025.