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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2016 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	21,834–46,239 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	26,094–42,329 birds	B1i, C3
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	3,883–5,873 birds	B1i, C3
Common Loon Gavia immer	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	1–3 birds	C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	554–585 birds	B1i, C2, C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	123–164 birds	C6
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	non-breeding (2011–2015)	12,230–14,338 birds	A4i, B1i, C3
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	NT	winter (2011–2015)	6,953 birds	B2
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	159–192 pairs	C6
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	877–1,088 birds	C6
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	non-breeding (2011–2015)	2,951–3,564 birds	B1i, C3
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	LC	winter (2011–2015)	67 birds	B3
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	14–19 pairs	C6
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	39–57 birds	C6
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	NT	winter (2011–2015)	3,379 birds	B2
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	NT	non-breeding (2011–2015)	2,169–3,642 birds	B1i, C3
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	winter (2011–2015)	127 birds	B2
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	2,953–4,185 birds	B1i, C3
Dunlin Calidris alpina	NT	non-breeding (2011–2015)	31,452–42,646 birds	B1i, C3
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter (2011–2015)	507 birds	B3
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	761–1,207 pairs	B3, C2, C6
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus	LC	breeding (2009–2014)	min 4,393 pairs	B1i, B3, C3
European Herring Gull Larus argentatus	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	1,627–3,628 pairs	B2
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	89–156 pairs	B1i, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	988–1,245 pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	1,986–2,500 pairs	A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding (2011–2015)	31–38 pairs	C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	non-breeding (2011–2015)	14–17 birds	C6
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding (2011–2015)	122,080–158,406 birds	A4iii, C4

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2016. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>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
-	Schor bij Bath	Nature Reserve (-)	1
-	Schor Van Waarde	Nature Conservation Law (-)	<1
-	Saeftinghe	Nature Reserve (-)	1
-	Zuidgors	Nature Reserve (-)	<1
-	Braakman	Nature Reserve (-)	<1
-	Inlaag 1887	Nature Reserve (-)	<1
-	Kapelle Bank	Nature Conservation Law (-)	<1
-	Schor Bij Ossendrecht	Nature Conservation Law (-)	<1
-	Rammekens	Nature Reserve (-)	<1
1900	Zwarte Polder II	Natural Monument (-)	<1
1973	Schor van Waarde	Natural Monument (-)	<1
1975	Zwarte Polder	Natural Monument (-)	<1
1976	Verdronken Land van Saeftinge II	Natural Monument (-)	3
1976	Verdronken Land van Saeftinge I	Natural Monument (-)	5
2009	Vlakte van de Raan	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA)	2
2010	Westerschelde & Saeftinghe	Natuurbeschermingswet (IV)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)

Land use	% of IBA
tourism/recreation	80
fisheries/aquaculture	50
urban/industrial/transport	50
hunting	25
nature conservation and research	11
agriculture	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Westerschelde & Saeftinghe (Netherlands). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/westerschelde-&-saeftinghe-iba-netherlands on 23/12/2024.