Rinns of Islay (2585)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Rinns of Islay
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.7683, Longitude: -6.4117
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 232
Area of KBA (km2): 93.98717
Protected area coverage (%): 99.77
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A mosaic of natural and semi-natural habitats, exposed to the prevailing south-westerly weather and experiencing an oceanic climate. The site consists of low hills running down to a rocky coastline. The IBA supports breeding raptors and waders, and wintering geese which come from roosts in other Islay IBAs to feed in this area. Anser albifrons are the flavirostris subspecies, and 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 as three sites (Islay: Rinns; Islay: Feur Lochain; Islay: Glac-na-Criche); combined in 1992 as Rinns, Islay, and extended in 2000 to include most of the Rinns; extended to cover the whole SPA in 2007, and renamed. 2000 area, 12084ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (90%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%) | water management (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 17 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 17 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 17 | |
| Forest | 17 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 17 | |
| Shrubland | 17 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing |