Conservation Status
Based upon Articles 4.1 and 4.2 of the European Union Directive 79/409/EEC this site qualifies as a Special Protection Area (SPA) by supporting biota populations of European importance. The component landforms which are considered elements of the SPA or SSSI are the estuary itself, the dunes to the east known as the Sands of Forvie, Meikle Loch and the adjacent Kippet Hills. The Ythan Estuary SPA code is UK9002221, which designation was conveyed on March 30, 1998.
Per Article 4.1, Annex I, the Ythan Estuary complex supports the following significant bird populations during the breeding season:
- Common Tern Sterna hirundo, 265 pairs representing up to 2.2% of the breeding population in Great Britain.
- Little Tern Sterna albifrons, 41 pairs representing up to 1.7% of the total breeding population in Great Britain
- Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis, 600 pairs representing up to 4.3% of the breeding population in Great Britain
The Ythan Estuary also is qualified per Article 4.2 of the EU Directive by sustaining the following winter migratory species population of European significance:
- Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus, 7213 individuals representing up to 7.7% of the mean wintering Eastern Greenland/Iceland/United Kingdom population
Read more about this topic: Ythan Estuary
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