Trawbreaga Bay (545)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Trawbreaga Bay
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.2833, Longitude: -7.3000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 12.67465
Protected area coverage (%): 91.72
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An almost land-locked bay, situated next to Malin Head on the north County Donegal coast. At its mouth Doagh Isle on the western shore encloses most of the bay, which at low tide is largely exposed mud- and sandflats, with some rocky substrate. The Isle consists of machair and sand-dunes, the latter also being present on the eastern shore of the bay, again at its mouth. Feeding fields for geese Branta, adjacent to the bay, are included. Land-uses include intertidal shellfish cultivation, and recreation.
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.
Additional biodiversity: Trawbreaga Bay is the most northerly wetland in Ireland and is important for a diversity of wintering waders and wildfowl. Two pairs of Falco peregrinus are known to breed in the vicinity of the site.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (20%) | fisheries/aquaculture (50%) | not utilised (30%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 40 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 40 | |
| Grassland | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There may be some disturbance to wintering birds due to wildfowling and water-sports, while intertidal shellfish cultivation may negatively affect habitat quality. The level of sand and gravel extraction which took place in the past is now much reduced.