This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Special Protection Area for rare bird
02/04/2007
The future of one of Scotland's rarest bird species, the Chough, is to be further safeguarded through the creation of a new Special Protection Area (SPA) on The Oa peninsula on Islay.
Following a consultation process undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Deputy Environment Minister Sarah Boyack today announced that the site has been awarded Special Protection Area status under the EC Wild Birds Directive. The new SPA supports 2% of the UK breeding population of the species.
Commenting on the designation, Ms Boyack said:
"The Scottish Executive is committed to safeguarding our important native bird species."
"I took the decision to classify this new site on the basis of strong scientific advice and I am delighted that this new SPA will consolidate Scotland's position as one of the UK's strongholds for this rare and charismatic species"
Angus Laing, SNH Area Manager said:
"Chough, with their distinctive red legs and red beaks are only found in a few areas of Scotland, with Islay as the stronghold. On The Oa they breed in caves along the cliffs and feed on the coastal and arable grasslands. Visitors to the area often see families of chough searching for insects found in the shallow soil and in cow dung. They favour these areas because the low intensity, traditional way of farming means that there is plenty of food for them."
Stuart Housden, Director RSPB Scotland said:
"We warmly welcome the classification as a Special Protection Area of the Oa, part of which we manage as a nature reserve.
"The designation will provide significant extra protection for choughs - one of Scotland's most threatened birds - which has suffered long-term population decline and loss of range, not only in the UK, but in many parts of western Europe.
"The designation of key sites is an important measure to aid population recovery, as is support for extensive grazing by cattle and sheep on the cliff-top pastures and heaths where choughs hunt for their invertebrate food."
Background:
The chough (pronounced 'chuff') has black plumage and a red bill and legs, unlike any other member of the crow family. They nest in sea-caves, cliff crevices or disused farm buildings. Choughs feed on insects and larvae.
The name of the new SPA is "The Oa" and is in two parts; the coastal boundary begins on the coast at Kintra, to the north west of the peninsula and curves around the coast to take in approx 1-2km band of land around the coast to Ineraval on the south-eastern part of the peninsula. The boundary of the inland section of the SPA is set around a block of land centered on Glen Astle. The total area of the SPA is 1931.31ha.
Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are strictly protected sites classified in accordance with Article 4 of the EC Directive on the conservation of wild birds (79/409/EEC), also known as the Birds Directive (which came into force in April 1979). They are classified for rare and vulnerable birds, listed in Annex I to the Birds Directive, and for regularly occurring migratory species.
The other SPAs for chough in Scotland are Rinns of Islay, North Colonsay and Western Cliffs and Gruinart Flats.
Distribution of the chough in Scotland is restricted to isolated localities on the western coasts of Scotland. The British breeding population of chough is currently estimated to be 346 pairs. Between 2001 and 2005, The Oa SPA supported a mean of 7.8 pairs of breeding chough, 2.3 per cent of the GB population.