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• Data table and detailed info
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• Reference and further resources

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
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter	2001-2006	280 individuals	B1i, B3, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	passage	2001-2006	10,731 individuals	A4i, B1i, C2
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	LC	winter	2001-2006	9,660 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	LC	winter	2001-2006	7,159 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,271 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	passage	2001-2006	1,724 individuals	B2
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,196 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	passage	2001-2006	4,352 individuals	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	winter	2001-2006	6,127 individuals	B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	passage	2001-2006	43,784 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter	2001-2006	43,852 individuals	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	passage	2001-2006	3,943 individuals	C6
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	LC	winter	2001-2006	3,793 individuals	C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	passage	2001-2006	2,979 individuals	B2
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter	2001-2006	3,561 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	passage	2001-2006	778 individuals	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	winter	2001-2006	1,657 individuals	B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	passage	2001-2006	5,030 individuals	B1i, C3
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	2001-2006	10,934 individuals	A4i, B1i, B2, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	passage	2001-2006	8,966 individuals	B2
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	winter	2001-2006	14,444 individuals	B1i, B2, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	passage	2001-2006	2,825 individuals	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2001-2006	2,697 individuals	B1i, C3
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding	1999-2000	2,402 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C3
Arctic Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus	LC	breeding	1999-2000	7,211 breeding pairs	B1i, C3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	2001-2006	73,536 individuals	A4iii, C4
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2001-2006	100,615 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	115	280	individuals	100	favourable
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis	12,700	9,660	individuals	77	near favourable
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus	10,800	7,159	individuals	67	unfavourable
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	2,210	3,196	individuals	100	favourable
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	1,890	6,127	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	35,200	43,784	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	36,800	43,852	individuals	100	favourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	5,550	3,793	individuals	69	unfavourable
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria	4,190	3,943	individuals	95	favourable
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	1,080	490	individuals	46	unfavourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	5,250	2,979	individuals	57	unfavourable
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	6,250	3,561	individuals	57	unfavourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	1,690	778	individuals	47	unfavourable
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	2,550	1,657	individuals	65	unfavourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	13,200	10,934	individuals	83	near favourable
Red Knot Calidris canutus	4,350	5,030	individuals	100	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	14,800	14,444	individuals	98	favourable
Dunlin Calidris alpina	6,400	8,966	individuals	100	favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	3,250	2,825	individuals	87	near favourable
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	2,790	2,697	individuals	97	favourable
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	2,000	2,402	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Larus argentatus	610	7,211	breeding pairs	100	favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	127,785	100,615	individuals	79	near favourable
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	70,949	73,536	individuals	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 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%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>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	% overlap with IBA
1956	Upper Solway Flats and Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	66
1957	Caerlaverock	National Nature Reserve	17
1964	Solway Coast	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	25
1974	Drummains Reedbed	Nature Reserve	<1
1980	Nith Estuary	National Scenic Area	15
1980	East Stewartry Coast	National Scenic Area	3
1983	Southwick Coast	Nature Reserve	<1
1986	Upper Solway Flats & Marshes	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	68
1986	Campfield Marsh	Nature Reserve	<1
1988	Upper Solway Flats & Marshes	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	28
1991	Silloth Dunes and Mawbray Bank	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1993	Upper Solway Flats and Marshes	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	96
1993	Mersehead	Nature Reserve	2
1996	Solway Firth	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	96
1998	Kirkconnell Merse	Nature Reserve	1
2005	Solway Firth	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	92
2011	Upper Solway Flats and Marshes	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	83

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Highly improved re-seeded landscapes, Arable land	10
Grassland	Humid grasslands	5
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	80
agriculture	10
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Upper Solway Flats and Marshes (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/upper-solway-flats-and-marshes-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.