 Lindisfarne
Special Protection Area (SPA):
Bird Interest Features
There
are three categories of bird interest features for which the
Lindisfarne SPA was designated. The species of bird listed
within these categories were present at Lindisfarne in internationally
important numbers at the time of the designation of the Special
Protection Area in 1992. The number of individuals present
of a given species may change through time. This means that
the species that qualify as being of international importance
may also change through time. For example, the roseate tern,
which was present as a breeding population in 1992, unfortunately
no longer occurs at Lindisfarne but is listed below as it
was part of the original designation for the SPA.
The
three categories of bird interest feature are:
*
"Internationally
important populations of regularly occurring Annex 1 bird
species" are one of the SPA interest features. Annex
1 of the 1979 EC Birds Directive lists species of bird that
are considered rare, endangered or vulnerable. Four of the
species from this list occur on a regular basis at Lindisfarne
and are included in the citation for the SPA:
- Golden
plover (Pluvialis
apricaria)
- Whooper
swan (Cygnus
cyngus)
- Little
tern (Sterna
albifrons)
Golden
plovers and whooper swans both over-winter at Lindisfarne.
Golden plovers arrive in the autumn and whooper swans arrive
from Iceland in early-mid October. During the summer months,
little terns breed at Lindisfarne and forage for invertebrates
and small fish in the shallow intertidal waters. Three sub-features
are recognised as being important habitats for these Annex
1 bird species, eelgrass beds, saltmarsh, and intertidal sand
flats and mud flats
*
The
Lindisfarne SPA is also designated for its "internationally
important populations of regularly occurring migratory species".
Six internationally important migratory bird species can be
seen at Lindisfarne:
- Greylag
goose (Anser
anser)
- Light-bellied
brent geese (Branta
bernicla hrota)
- Wigeon
(Anas Penelope)
- Bar-tailed
godwit (Limosa
lapponica)
- Redshank
(Tringa tetanus)
- Ringed
Plover (Charidrius
hiaticula)
The
sub-features, saltmarsh, eelgrass beds and intertidal sand
and mud flats are also important for these six species.
 *
Finally, Lindisfarne SPA is designated for its "internationally
important assemblage of waterfowl". This important assemblage
exceeds 20,000 individuals of sixteen different species of
wintering waterfowl including the internationally important
migratory species. The feeding and roosting requirements of
birds vary between species and are affected by factors such
as food availability, habitat type, tide, and time of day.
For an area to support such a diversity of bird species, it
is important that the diversity and condition of their favoured
habitats are maintained or improved. In addition to the three
sub-features named above, areas of rocky shore are also important
to waterfowl.
The
location and extent of the Lindisfarne SPA can be seen in
the Map Gallery
Images
of the bird species present at Lindisfarne and their habitats
can be seen in Sights and Scenes
|
