Humber Estuary (2496)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Humber Estuary
Central coordinates: Latitude: 53.6350, Longitude: -0.0050
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 165.61505
Protected area coverage (%): 99.77
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site covers the Humber estuary, and coastline to the north and south of the Humber mouth. It includes an elongated shingle-spit capped by sand-dunes (Spurn Point), extensive intertidal habitats (especially mudflats), saline lagoons and reedbeds (Phragmites). The IBA is important for breeding raptors and waders, and wintering/passage wildfowl and waders.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Delineation rationale: First identified as two IBAs in 1989 (Humber Flats, Marshes and Coast; Tetney Marshes); combined into Humber Flats, Marshes and Coast in 1992; renamed to Humber Estuary in 2007. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale. Additional area added on 1:50,000 maps.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 23 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 23 | |
| Marine Neritic | 23 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 23 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Ongoing |