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SEA678 Swans & Geese
This report provides a review of the coastal distribution and abundance of swans and geese in the SEA6, 7 and 8 areas, including migration routes.
Three species of swan (mute, Berwick's and whooper) and five species of goose (pink-footed, white-fronted, greylag, barnacle and brent), which occur regularly in coastal areas of SEA6, 7 and 8 were considered in this review. Apart from mute swan and greylag geese in north-west Scotland, all species are winter visitors to Britain.
Data from Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) annual reports and relevant bird reports from 1991/92 onwards were reviewed and 5 year means calculated.
Sites that regularly hold more than 1% of the national population of a species are deemed to be nationally important, and sites with more than 1% of the biogeographic population are internationally important.
Internationally and nationally significant numbers of swans and geese winter at coastal sites in the SEA6, 7 and 8 areas. Many of these sites are multi-species SPAs including the Ribble and Alt Estuaries, Severn Estuary, Upper Solway Flats and Marshes, several sites on Islay and Strangford Lough.
Whooper swan, pink-footed goose, European white-fronted goose, barnacle goose and brent goose have been highlighted as potentially sensitive species to wind farms.
Four of these species (whooper swan, pink-footed goose, barnacle goose and brent goose) occur within the SEA6 area in internationally important numbers. Within the SEA7 area, whooper swan, Greenlands white-fronted goose, and barnacle goose occur in internationally important numbers. Within the SEA8 area, dark bellied brent geese are recorded in internationally important numbers and European white-fronted geese occur in nationallly important numbers.
This report was prepared by Cork Ecology.
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