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Belfast Lough
| Location | United Kingdom, Northern Ireland |
| Central coordinates | 5o 50.11' West 54o 40.07' North |
| IBA criteria | A4iii, B1i, C3, C4 |
| Area | 6,029 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 10m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2007 |
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Site description A sea lough with an area of tidal mudflats reduced in size by development. The outer shores are mainly rocky with a few sandy bays. The IBA is important for wintering waders and wildfowl, with man-made lagoons in the Inner Harbour holding the main wader roost.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | passage | 2001-2006 | 1,835 individuals | good | B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | winter | 2001-2006 | 1,655 individuals | good | B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | passage | 2001-2006 | 20,090 individuals | good | A4iii, C4 | |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | winter | 2001-2006 | 34,814 individuals | good | A4iii, C4 |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast Lough | Birds Directive | 432 | protected area contained by site | 432 |
|
| Belfast Lough | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 432 | protected area contained by site | 432 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Coastal lagoons; Mud flats and sand flats; Sand dunes and beaches | - |
| Sea | Sea inlets and coastal features | - |
| Coastline | Sea cliffs and rocky shores | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
| water management | - |
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Belfast Lough. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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