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IE054
Connemara Islands
Location Ireland, West
Central coordinates 10o 9.00' West  53o 30.00' North
IBA criteria B1i, B2, C2, C6
Area 20,000 ha
Altitude 0 - 63m
Year of IBA assessment 2000

BirdWatch Ireland



Ornithological information This group of islands supports some of the most important colonies of breeding terns Sterna, especially Sterna paradisaea, in Ireland and is also an important winter feeding site for Branta leucopsis, particularly on St Macdara's Island and more recently in Inishmuskerry. A detailed review of tern usage from surveys in 1969-1970, 1984 and 1995 is required to clarify which are the most important islands. In the absence of such a review, a single such IBA is considered a better approach as terns appear to be very mobile within this area.

Site description This very large site encompasses many small islands and islets stretching from Slyne Head (Illaunamid Island) south-eastwards via Ballyconneely, Bertraghboy and Kilkieran Bay as far as Greatman's Bay. Several IBAs which were treated separately in the previous pan-European inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989) have been combined to form this site, including Eeshal Island (formerly IE041), Horse Island (formerly IE042), Hen Island (formerly IE043), Oilean Geabhrog (formerly IE045), Oilean nan Geabhrog (formerly IE046), Duck Island (formerly IE047) and Geabhrog Island (formerly IE048). The site also includes surrounding waters, covering a sea area up to 5 km off the mainland, along a coast of 40 km in length.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis winter  1994  225-370 individuals  -  B1i, C2  Least Concern 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis breeding  1995  223 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo breeding  1995  139 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea breeding  1995  666 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1995  41 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Connemara Bog Complex - IE0002034 Habitats Directive 49,228 protected area is adjacent to site 0  
Cregduff Lough - IE0001251 Habitats Directive 73 protected area overlaps with site 8  
Dog's Bay - IE0001257 Habitats Directive 141 protected area overlaps with site 40  
Kilkieran Bay and Islands - IE0002111 Habitats Directive 21,314 protected area overlaps with site 6,696  
Murvey Machair - IE0002129 Habitats Directive 80 protected area overlaps with site 5  
Rosroe Bog - IE0000324 Habitats Directive 262 protected area contained by site 262  
Slyne Head Islands - IE0000328 Habitats Directive 2,385 protected area overlaps with site 468  
Slyne Head Peninsula - IE0002074 Habitats Directive 4,028 protected area overlaps with site 109  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland   10%
Sea Sea inlets and coastal features  80%
Coastline Lagoons; Rock stacks and islets; Sand dunes & beaches  10%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
fisheries/aquaculture 80%
not utilised 10%

Management considerations Fishing in surrounding waters may deplete the prey stock of seabirds, with implications for their breeding success, while increasing tourism (trips to the islands) may lead to disturbance of nesting terns. The site overlaps with a proposed Special Protection Area (Slyne Head, 1,514 ha).

Protection status National None International None

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Connemara Islands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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