The Oa (2618)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: The Oa
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.6168, Longitude: -6.2763
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 200
Area of KBA (km2): 44.42214
Protected area coverage (%): 60.20
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A peninsula in the south-west of Islay, exposed to the prevailing south-westerly weather. This results in a highly oceanic climate with closer ecological affinities to western Ireland than to the rest of Britain. The IBA includes rocky shore, blanket mire, heathland and farmland habitats. The site is important wintering greese, and for breeding raptors and other upland species. Anser albifrons are the flavirostris subspecies.
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 The Oa, Islay; renamed in 2007. Digitised onto 1:50,000 scale OS maps.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (95%) | forestry (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 25 | |
| Shrubland | 25 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 25 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |