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UK261
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes
Location United Kingdom, North,Scotland
Central coordinates 3o 29.22' West  54o 54.22' North
IBA criteria A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6
Area 45,480 ha
Altitude 0 - 45m
Year of IBA assessment 2007

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds



Site description One of the largest and most important areas of continuous intertidal habitat in Britain. The system is a dynamic one, with shifting channels undergoing phases of erosion and accretion. The IBA is important for wintering wildfowl and waders.

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  7,159 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis passage  2001-2006  10,731 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis winter  2001-2006  9,660 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C2, C6  Least Concern 
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus winter  2001-2006  280 individuals  good  B1i, B3, C2  Least Concern 
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna passage  2001-2006  4,271 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta passage  2001-2006  4,352 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta winter  2001-2006  6,127 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Greater Scaup Aythya marila passage  2001-2006  1,724 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Greater Scaup Aythya marila winter  2001-2006  3,196 individuals  good  B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus passage  2001-2006  43,784 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus winter  2001-2006  43,852 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria passage  2001-2006  3,943 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria winter  2001-2006  3,793 individuals  good  C6  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica passage  2001-2006  778 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  2001-2006  1,657 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata passage  2001-2006  2,979 individuals  good  B2  Near Threatened 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata winter  2001-2006  3,561 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Near Threatened 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus passage  2001-2006  2,825 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus winter  2001-2006  2,697 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus passage  2001-2006  5,030 individuals  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus winter  2001-2006  10,934 individuals  good  A4i, B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina passage  2001-2006  8,966 individuals  good  B2  Least Concern 
Dunlin Calidris alpina winter  2001-2006  14,444 individuals  good  B1i, B2, C3  Least Concern 
Herring Gull Larus argentatus breeding  1999-2000  7,211 breeding pairs  good  B1i, C3  Least Concern 
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus breeding  1999-2000  2,402 breeding pairs  good  A4i, B1i, B3, C3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  2001-2006  73,536 individuals  good  A4iii, C4   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  2001-2006  100,615 individuals  good  A4iii, C4   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve 8,185 protected area contained by site 7,706  
Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 11,500 protected area overlaps with site 11,500  
Solway Firth Habitats Directive 43,637 protected area contained by site 43,637  
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Birds Directive 43,637 protected area contained by site 43,637  
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest 29,950 protected area contained by site 29,950  
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 43,637 protected area contained by site 30,706  
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes (Scotland) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) 0 protected area contained by site 16,165  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Humid grasslands  5%
Wetlands (inland) Mud flats and sand flats; Salt marshes; Tidal rivers and enclosed tidal waters  85%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land; Highly improved re-seeded landscapes  10%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
fisheries/aquaculture 80%
nature conservation and research -

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Upper Solway Flats and Marshes. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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