Kintyre Goose Roosts (2583)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Kintyre Goose Roosts
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.5107, Longitude: -5.6290
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 4.13515
Protected area coverage (%): 98.72
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Kintyre Goose Roosts IBA is located on the Kintyre peninsula in south-west Scotland. The site comprises five hill lochs - Loch Garasdale, Loch an Fhraoich, Loch Lussa, Tangy Loch and Black Loch (north) - together with an area of grassland and heath at Rhunahaorine Point. The site supports an important population of Greenland Anser albifrons flavirostris. The geese roost on the site at night and fly to feed on nearby agricultural land outside the IBA during the day.
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 as Rhunahaorine IBA and Machrihanish and Tangy Loch IBA; in 1992, the former was renamed Rhunahaorine Point; in 2000, the latter was renamed Machrihanish and Tangy Loch was dropped; in 2007, both sites replaced by Kintyre Goose Roosts IBA, although some areas of the original IBAs not covered by the new SPA. 2000 areas, Rhunahaorine Point 326ha, Machrihanish 2520ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (95%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 | |
| Shrubland | 25 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Only in the future |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Only in the past and unlikely to return |