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UK023
Farne Islands
Location United Kingdom, North
Central coordinates 1o 37.46' West  55o 37.88' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 101 ha
Altitude 0 - 19m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds



Site description A group of islands and rock stacks lying between 2 km and 6 km off the Northumberland coast at Bamburgh. Vegetation is limited to pioneer species due to the maritime conditions and the impact of seabirds. The IBA supports large numbers of breeding seabirds, especially terns and auks, and waterbirds.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis breeding  2000  1,207 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B3, C3  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  2000  1,950 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  2007  1,413 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii breeding  2000  1 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  2000  147 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  2007  117 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea breeding  2000  1,526 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea breeding  2007  2,256 breeding pairs  good  C2, C6  Least Concern 
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica breeding  2003  55,674 breeding pairs  good  B1ii, B2, C3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds breeding  2000-2003  11,401 breeding pairs  good  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - seabirds breeding  2000-2003  77,163 breeding pairs  good  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Farne Islands Birds Directive 102 is identical to site 101  
Farne Islands National Nature Reserve 100 is identical to site 101  
Farne Islands Site of Special Scientific Interest 101 is identical to site 101  
Farne Islands (NT) Reserve 101 is identical to site 101  
North Northumberland Heritage Coast 13,286 protected area contains site 101  
Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 13,500 protected area contains site 101  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Mesophile grasslands  -
Coastline Rock stacks and islets; Sea cliffs and rocky shores  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research 100%

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Farne Islands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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