Site description This site covers a section of the flat, east-facing shoreline of the Irish Sea, and contains rocky outcrops, a number of islands and long sandy beaches. The site is important for wintering waders and geese, wintering and breeding Phalacrocorax carbo and breeding terns. Most Branta bernicla are from the Canadian/Greenland breeding population of the hrota subspecies.
Populations of IBA trigger species
Protected areas
| Protected area |
Designation |
Area (ha) |
Relationship with IBA |
Overlap with IBA (ha) |
|
| Outer Ards |
Area of Special Scientific Interest |
1,116 |
protected area overlaps with site |
1,093 |
|
| Strangford Lough |
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |
0 |
protected area overlaps with site |
278 |
|
| Strangford Lough |
Marine Nature Reserve |
16,489 |
protected area overlaps with site |
141 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat |
Habitat detail |
Extent (% of site) |
| Wetlands (inland) |
Sand dunes and beaches |
- |
| Sea |
Open Sea |
- |
| Coastline |
Rock stacks and islets; Sea cliffs and rocky shores |
- |
Land use
| Land-use |
Extent (% of site) |
| agriculture |
- |
| fisheries/aquaculture |
- |
| nature conservation and research |
- |
| tourism/recreation |
- |
| urban/industrial/transport |
- |
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Outer Ards. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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