Monach Islands (2542)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Monach Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 57.5228, Longitude: -7.6342
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 19
Area of KBA (km2): 5.96764
Protected area coverage (%): 98.73
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A chain of five uninhabited islands, located about 10 km off the west coast of North Uist, which support the best uncultivated machair in the UK. The machair and coastline attract wintering geese and breeding seabirds. Branta leucopsis are from the Greenland breeding population.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989; no significant boundary changes since then. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 50 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Ongoing |