Site description The Tamar estuary system is a large marine inlet on the English Channel coast, and includes the estuaries of the Rivers Tamar, Lynher and Tavy, which collectively drain an extensive part of Devon and Cornwall. The site comprises extensive mudflats and areas of saltmarsh, freshwater reedmarsh Phragmites, and fen. The IBA is important for wintering waders and waterbirds.
Populations of IBA trigger species
Protected areas
| Protected area |
Designation |
Area (ha) |
Relationship with IBA |
Overlap with IBA (ha) |
|
| Lynher Estuary |
Site of Special Scientific Interest |
673 |
protected area overlaps with site |
533 |
|
| St John's Lake |
Site of Special Scientific Interest |
266 |
protected area contained by site |
270 |
|
| Tamar - Tavy Estuary |
Site of Special Scientific Interest |
1,414 |
protected area overlaps with site |
1,131 |
|
| Tamar Estuaries Complex |
Birds Directive |
1,955 |
is identical to site |
1,939 |
|
| Tamar Valley |
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |
19,500 |
protected area overlaps with site |
1,489 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat |
Habitat detail |
Extent (% of site) |
| Forest |
Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Mixed woodland |
- |
| Grassland |
|
- |
| Wetlands (inland) |
Fens, transition mires and springs; Mud flats and sand flats; Rivers and streams; Salt marshes; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters |
- |
| Coastline |
Sea cliffs and rocky shores |
- |
Land use
| Land-use |
Extent (% of site) |
| tourism/recreation |
- |
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Tamar Estuaries Complex. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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