Bannow Bay (606)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Bannow Bay
Central coordinates: Latitude: 52.2167, Longitude: -6.8000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 9.79274
Protected area coverage (%): 99.96
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An extensive, sheltered sea bay and estuary, situated in County Wexford, 20 km east of Waterford city. At low tide over 75% of the bay is exposed mud and sand with some saltmarsh. The Ownduff and Corock rivers discharge into the head of the bay which is constricted at its mouth by sandbars and a dune system on either side. There is intertidal shellfish cultivation.
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 wetland supports a wide range of wintering waterfowl. Several additional species occur in numbers of national importance including Tadorna tadorna (491 birds, 1996), Pluvialis apricaria (7,480 birds, 1995), Pluvialis squatarola (280 birds, 1996), Vanellus vanellus (3,450 birds, 1995) and Tringa totanus (485 birds, 1996).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (20%) | hunting (20%) | not utilised (60%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 50 | |
| Marine Neritic | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Intertidal shellfish cultivation is a possible threat to habitat quality, while wildfowling causes disturbance to birds. Habitat quality is reduced by the spread of non-native cord-grass Spartina. In 1997 unauthorized mechanical cockle-harvesting caused damage to the intertidal mudflats.