Uists Machairs, Lochs and Coast (2597)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Uists Machairs, Lochs and Coast
Central coordinates: Latitude: 57.5483, Longitude: -7.3863
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 80
Area of KBA (km2): 165.1522
Protected area coverage (%): 74.87
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A coastal strip of typical wet and dry machair, containing both large and small shallow lochs. The IBA holds a rich assemblage of breeding and wintering birds. Anser anser are from the Hebridean 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: 2007 combined North Uist Machair and Islands SPA, West Coast of Benbecula SPA, South Uist Machair and Lochs SPA, and Kilpheder to Smerclate SPA, along with additional important areas and intertidal beach into this Uist super-site. This replaces North Uist Machair and Islands IBA (partly originally identified in 1989 as Baleshare and Kirkibost IBA; Balranald IBA; West Sound of Harris IBA; Kilpheder to Smerclate IBA; these were combined in 2000 into the larger site), South Uist Machair and Lochs (partly originally identified in 1989 as Iochdair and Geirinish Machair and Loch Bee IBA; Machair Lochs, including Lochs Hallan and Kilpheder, South Uist; No Meadhoinean Iar, including Loch Druidibeg; Bagh Nam Foailean to Ardivachar; all of which were combined in 1992), and West Coast of Benbecula, first identified in 2000. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale. Additional area added on 1:50,000 maps.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (100%) | hunting (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 38 | |
| Grassland | 38 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Small dams | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |