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Important Bird Areas

Magnify imageImportant Bird Areas in the UK
Map of IBA sites in the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands

The most important sites for birds are known as Important Bird Areas (IBAs). The IBA Programme of BirdLife International is a worldwide initiative aimed at identifying and protecting a network of sites, critical for the conservation of the world's birds.

Within Europe, 3,619 IBAs have been identified and published in Important Bird Areas in Europe: priority sites for conservation, sponsored by RSPB. These sites are selected because of the bird numbers and species complements they hold. IBAs are particularly important for species that congregate in large numbers, such as wintering and passage waterbirds and breeding seabirds. Many sites have also been identified for species of global and European/EU conservation concern.

Over 280 IBAs have been identified in the UK, from four hectares to a massive 230,000 hectares

Within the UK, 287 IBAs have been identified (with a further four sites in each of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). These sites cover more than 31,000 km², representing over 12% of the UK surface area. The smallest IBA is only four hectares - the rocky Sheep Island in Northern Ireland, important for breeding seabirds and supporting 370 or more pairs of breeding cormorants each year. The largest, Central Highland Hills and Glens in Scotland, is a massive 230,000 hectares, and is important for golden eagles, Scottish crossbill, red-throated diver, and a wide range of montane and forest birds.

For more information on IBAs globally, see the BirdLife web site.

Details of the IBAs can be downloaded as Excel or zip files. The Excel file (Office 2000) contains a list of the sites and a description of the data and their use on a separate worksheet. The zip file contains a text readme file describing the data and their use, an Excel (Office 2000) list of the sites, and MapInfo Interchange files for importing into GIS. By downloading the files, you are agreeing to the conditions stated.