Rockabill (619)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Rockabill
Central coordinates: Latitude: 53.6000, Longitude: -6.0167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 25
Area of KBA (km2): 13.92451
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Two small, rocky islands approximately 7 km off the north coast of County Dublin. The lighthouse present on one island has been unmanned since 1989.
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: Rockabill is important for breeding seabirds and supports the largest breeding colony of Sterna dougallii in the north-east Atlantic and, thus, in Europe.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research (80%) | urban/industrial/transport (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 40 | |
| Shrubland | 10 | |
| Marine Neritic | 30 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Since 1989 BirdWatch Ireland have, with NPW, managed the tern colony and there is presently very little disturbance.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Only in the future |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |