The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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 |
| Brent Goose Branta bernicla |
LC |
winter (2002–2006) |
2,424–4,259 individuals |
B1i, B2, C3 |
| Greater Scaup Aythya marila |
LC |
winter (2002–2006) |
5–370 individuals |
B2 |
| Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria |
LC |
winter (2002–2006) |
5,000–8,600 individuals |
C6 |
| Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa |
NT |
winter (2002–2006) |
200–802 individuals |
B1i, C3 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds |
n/a |
winter (2002–2006) |
22,611–29,450 individuals |
A4iii, C4 |
| Habitat |
% of IBA |
Habitat detail |
| Marine Intertidal |
90 |
|
| Grassland |
10 |
Mesophile grasslands |
| Land use |
% of IBA |
| hunting |
80 |
| fisheries/aquaculture |
50 |
| nature conservation and research |
20 |
| agriculture |
10 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tralee Bay and Barrow Harbour (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tralee-bay-and-barrow-harbour-iba-ireland on 09/01/2025.
