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UK099
Ailsa Craig
Location United Kingdom, Scotland
Central coordinates 5o 6.94' West  55o 15.15' North
IBA criteria A4ii, A4iii, B1ii, B2, C3, C4
Area 99 ha
Altitude 0 - 338m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds



Site description A cone-shaped granitic island in the outer part of the Firth of Clyde. The high cliffs support important seabird colonies.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus breeding  1999  35,825 breeding pairs  good  A4ii, B1ii, B2, C3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - seabirds breeding  1999-2001  43,348 breeding pairs  good  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Ailsa Craig Birds Directive 100 is identical to site 99  
Ailsa Craig RSPB Reserve 99 is identical to site 99  
Ailsa Craig Site of Special Scientific Interest 100 is identical to site 99  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Coastline Sea cliffs and rocky shores  100%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
not utilised 100%

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ailsa Craig. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife