• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• 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
Arctic Loon Gavia arctica	LC	breeding	2001-2005	10 breeding pairs	C6

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
Arctic Loon Gavia arctica	10	10	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

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	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1974	Fionn Loch Islands	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	1
1980	Wester Ross	National Scenic Area	100
1986	Ardlair - Letterewe	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	24
1998	Wester Ross Lochs	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
2000	Wester Ross Lochs	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	76
2001	Little Gruinard River	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	60

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)	Water fringe vegetation, Standing freshwater	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Wester Ross Lochs (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/wester-ross-lochs-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.