North Sutherland Coastal Islands (2654)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: North Sutherland Coastal Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 58.5573, Longitude: -4.3393
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 24
Area of KBA (km2): 2.21172
Protected area coverage (%): 99.62
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Two small rocky islands off the north coast of Sutherland, important for wintering geese. Human activities include sheep-grazing. Branta leucopsis are from the Greenland breeding population.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Delineation rationale: Originally two sites, both first identified in 2000: Eilean Hoan and Eilean Nan Ron; combined in 2007 and renamed to same name as the SPA. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (100%) | nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 | |
| Grassland | 95 |