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UK047
North Norfolk Coast
Location United Kingdom, East Anglia
Central coordinates 0o 44.46' East  52o 58.45' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 7,831 ha
Altitude 0 - 5m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds



Site description This site extends for over 40 km from Hunstanton in the west to Salthouse in the east, and includes extensive intertidal sand and mudflats, and some of Europe's best saltmarshes. A diverse saltmarsh flora, extensive reedbeds (Phragmites) and dune systems are present alongside grazing-marshes that hold a rich diversity of aquatic plant species. The site is also of great geomorphological interest. The IBA is important for a variety of breeding species, wintering wildfowl and migrating waders.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus passage  2001-2006  14,066 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus winter  2001-2006  15,800-31,791 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla winter  2001-2006  7,417 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope winter  2001-2006  18,214 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta winter  2001-2006  848 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris breeding  1995  5 males only  good  C6  Least Concern 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus breeding  1990  8 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  2001-2006  283 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  2001-2006  317 individuals  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta breeding  2002  158 breeding pairs  good  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria winter  2001-2006  5,026 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola passage  2001-2006  1,729 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula passage  2001-2006  1,835 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula breeding  1993  280 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  2001-2006  3,931 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  2001-2006  1,404 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata passage  2001-2006  2,105 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  2001-2006  1,518 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus passage  2001-2006  1,706 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres passage  2001-2006  808 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus passage  2001-2006  31,956 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus winter  2001-2006  8,832 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Ruff Philomachus pugnax winter  2001-2006  117 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus breeding  2000  2 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  2000  4,275 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  2006  3,450 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii breeding  2000  1 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  2000  408 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  2006  425 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  2000  291 breeding pairs  good  B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  2006  233 breeding pairs  good  B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  2001-2006  99,810 individuals  good  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  2001-2006  119,813 individuals  good  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Blakeney National Nature Reserve 1,115 protected area contained by site 1,097  
Holkham National Nature Reserve 3,874 protected area overlaps with site 3,605  
Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 45,100 protected area contains site 7,831  
North Norfolk Heritage Coast 9,472 protected area overlaps with site 5,253  
North Norfolk Coast Birds Directive 7,862 is identical to site 7,831  
North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest 7,861 is identical to site 7,831  
North Norfolk Coast Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 7,887 is identical to site 7,831  
North Norfolk Coast (National Trust) Reserve 9,005 protected area overlaps with site 7,569  
Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve 749 protected area contained by site 749  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Mixed woodland  -
Shrubland Scrub  -
Wetlands (inland) Coastal lagoons; Mud flats and sand flats; Salt marshes; Sand dunes and beaches; Shingle or stony beaches; Standing brackish and salt water; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -

Land use

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

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: North Norfolk Coast. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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