River Little Brosna callows: New Bridge - River Shannon (623)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: River Little Brosna callows: New Bridge - River Shannon
Central coordinates: Latitude: 53.1333, Longitude: -8.0500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 33 to 38
Area of KBA (km2): 11.55742
Protected area coverage (%): 99.65
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site follows the Little Brosna river from its junction with the River Shannon callows (site 131) for 9 km south-eastwards to just beyond New Bridge. It is situated 6 km north-west of Birr, in Counties Offaly and Tipperary. The main habitat is callow (low-lying, semi-natural, wet grassland), which is seasonally flooded between October and April.
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 internationally important wetland, regularly supporting over 20,000 wintering waterfowl. Additional species wintering in numbers of national importance include Anas platyrhynchos (700 birds, 1996), Anas acuta (250 birds, 1996), Anas clypeata (200 birds, 1996), Pluvialis apricaria (8,100 birds, 1996), Vanellus vanellus (6,500 birds, 1995) and Calidris alpina (1,250 birds, 1995). Until recently Crex crex were breeding (2 pairs, 1993).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (60%) | fisheries/aquaculture (20%) | hunting (60%) | nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 60 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 40 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Crex crex is highly sensitive to changes in farming practice. The intensification of farming, with earlier mowing and the replacement of hay with silage (involving earlier mowing, increased use of fertilizer, and multiple silage cuts), is likely to have caused the decline and eventual absence of breeding Crex crex from this site. Further, an extension of the grazing season and higher stocking rates have increased the risk of disturbance to breeding waders. Disturbance to wintering birds is minimized by the bogland to the south of the site, which serves to isolate it. However, wildfowling on parts of the site is likely to cause disturbance.