Lambay Island (618)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lambay Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: 53.4833, Longitude: -6.0167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 127
Area of KBA (km2): 6.1193
Protected area coverage (%): 99.73
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Situated 4 km off the north coast of County Dublin, this site includes Lambay Island and surrounding waters. About a third of the island on the lower western shore comprises managed pasture, with much of the rest being used as rough grazing for cattle and sheep.
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: Lambay Island is internationally important for breeding seabirds. Several other seabird species breed in nationally important numbers, including Fulmarus glacialis (573 pairs, 1995), Phalacrocorax carbo (605 pairs, 1995) and Rissa tridactyla (5,102 pairs, 1995). This site also supports nationally important numbers of wintering Anser anser (437 birds, 1995) and is one of the top sites for this species in Ireland.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (35%) | fisheries/aquaculture (60%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 20 | |
| Grassland | 10 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 1 | |
| Marine Neritic | 54 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Forest | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Under the present management, the island's bird populations are secure and little disturbed. The NPW and BirdWatch Ireland have an ongoing population monitoring programme for seabirds and geese.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Only in the future |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Only in the future |