Puffin Island (594)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Puffin Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: 51.8333, Longitude: -10.4000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 160
Area of KBA (km2): 0.60814
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A long, narrow and grassy, uninhabited island, lying 0.5 km off the northern side of St Finan's Bay in south-west County Kerry. It is steep-sided with a long narrow twin-peaked ridge rising to 145 m. The island is owned by BirdWatch Ireland and permission is required for access.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: An important site for breeding seabirds. Additional species occurring in numbers of national importance include Fulmarus glacialis (700 pairs, 1987), Larus marinus (150 pairs, 1987) and Alca torda (800 birds, 1987).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (80%) | nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 80 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Unauthorized grazing which may cause erosion, occurs on the site.