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UK258
Treshnish Isles
Location United Kingdom, Scotland
Central coordinates 6o 25.23' West  56o 29.50' North
IBA criteria A4ii, A4iii, B1ii, B2, B3, C2, C4, C6
Area 239 ha
Altitude 0 - 103m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds



Site description A string of rocky islands and skerries with cliffs and screes, but each with its own character. There is a strong maritime influence on the grassland and heathland vegetation communities. The islands are important for breeding seabirds. Branta leucopsis are from the Greenland breeding population.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus breeding  1996  5,050 breeding pairs  good  A4ii, B1ii, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis breeding  1999  601 breeding pairs  good  B3  Least Concern 
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus breeding  1999  342 breeding pairs  good  B3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - seabirds breeding  1996-2000  16,580 breeding pairs  good  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Treshnish Isles Birds Directive 241 is identical to site 239  
Treshnish Isles Habitats Directive 1,963 protected area overlaps with site 195  
Treshnish Isles Site of Special Scientific Interest 208 is identical to site 208  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland Heathland  -
Grassland   -
Coastline Scree and boulders; Sea cliffs and rocky shores  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
not utilised 100%

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Treshnish Isles. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18/06/2013

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