Rathlin O'Birne (555)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Rathlin O'Birne
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.6667, Longitude: -8.8333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 26
Area of KBA (km2): 1.53584
Protected area coverage (%): 99.64
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A medium-sized, rocky, marine island with an automated lighthouse, located 2 km off the west coast of County Donegal, and 9 km south-west of Glencolumbkille.
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: This is an important site for wintering wildfowl and breeding seabirds. Seabirds breeding in nationally important numbers include Larus argentatus (460-550 pairs, 1987) and Larus marinus (45-60 pairs, 1987).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (70%) | not utilised (30%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 20 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 10 | |
| Marine Neritic | 70 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Fishing in surrounding waters may deplete the prey stock of seabirds, with implications for their breeding success. The site is a proposed (by NPW) Special Protection Area (Rathlin O'Birne, 154 ha).