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UK037
Lindisfarne
Location United Kingdom, North
Central coordinates 1o 50.94' West  55o 40.13' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 3,658 ha
Altitude 0 - 20m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds



Site description A stretch of coastline running from near Berwick-upon-Tweed south to Budle Bay, including Holy Island and the extensive intertidal flats of Holy Island Sands and Budle Bay. The rocky shores support a rich algal flora, and areas of saltmarsh and sand-dune are also present. This area supports breeding terns and attracts large numbers of wintering wildfowl, including the majority of the Spitzbergen breeding population of Branta bernicla hrota.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus winter  2001-2006  4,762 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis passage  2001-2006  340 individuals  good  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla passage  2001-2006  3,025 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla winter  2001-2006  3,117 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus winter  2001-2006  86 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope passage  2001-2006  14,812 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria winter  2001-2006  3,850 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  2001-2006  3,067 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  2001-2006  3,356 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata passage  2001-2006  1,279 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  2001-2006  1,563 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus passage  2001-2006  2,095 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus winter  2001-2006  4,498 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina passage  2001-2006  9,586 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  2001-2006  8,616 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  2006  55 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  2001-2006  43,466 individuals  good  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  2001-2006  48,189 individuals  good  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Lindisfarne Birds Directive 3,679 is identical to site 3,658  
Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve 38 protected area contained by site 3,381  
Lindisfarne Site of Special Scientific Interest 3,970 is identical to site 3,658  
Lindisfarne Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 3,679 is identical to site 3,658  
North Northumberland Heritage Coast 13,286 protected area contains site 3,658  
Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 13,500 protected area contains site 3,658  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Mud flats and sand flats; Salt marshes; Sand dunes and beaches; Shingle or stony beaches  -
Coastline Sea cliffs and rocky shores  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lindisfarne. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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