Lough Nillan bog (659)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lough Nillan bog
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.7500, Longitude: -8.2833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 200 to 600
Area of KBA (km2): 42.19583
Protected area coverage (%): 97.69
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large blanket bog complex in the range of hills immediately south of Glenties, County Donegal. Upland areas support drier heathland vegetation, while in the lower parts of the site there are pools and on some of the slopes, flushes. There are numerous lakes and rivers. Three areas of conifer plantations are excluded from the IBA. Land-use includes peat-cutting (`Other' land-use).
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: The site was designated as a Special Protection Area on the basis of its wintering Anser albifrons flavirostris (72 birds, 1992), and breeding Pluvialis apricaria (13-15 pairs) and Falco columbarius, all species listed on Annex I of the EC Birds Directive. A 2002 breeding survey of Falco peregrinus found one nesting pair in the site and a further two pairs in the vicinity of the site.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (80%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 90 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Overgrazing combined with peat-cutting is causing erosion in some parts of the site. Afforestation within the bog complex has resulted in habitat fragmentation, degrading the value of the site for conservation. The IBA lies within a proposed candidate Special Area for Conservation (Lough Nillan Bog; area not known).