Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Site description A series of lochs spread over a wide area in north-east Caithness, and situated roughly in the triangle formed by Wick, Duncansby Head and Thurso. The lochs are rich to moderately rich in nutrients, and support a diverse aquatic flora. A mire system has developed along the old course of the River Forss. The IBA is important for both breeding and wintering waterbirds. Anser albifrons are the flavirostris subspecies, and Anser anser are from the Icelandic breeding population.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Broubster Leans	Habitats Directive	173	protected area contained by site	173
Broubster Leans	Site of Special Scientific Interest	172	protected area contained by site	172
Caithness Lochs	Birds Directive	1,379	is identical to site	1,372
Caithness Lochs	Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar)	1,378	is identical to site	1,372
Loch Calder	Site of Special Scientific Interest	431	protected area contained by site	431
Loch Heilen	Site of Special Scientific Interest	104	protected area contained by site	104
Loch of Wester	Habitats Directive	70	protected area contained by site	70
Loch Of Wester	Site of Special Scientific Interest	69	protected area contained by site	69
Loch Scarmclate	Site of Special Scientific Interest	110	protected area contained by site	110
Loch Watten	Habitats Directive	428	protected area contained by site	428
Loch Watten	Site of Special Scientific Interest	433	protected area contained by site	433

Habitats

Land use

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Caithness Lochs. 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