Action Plan: Coastal Birds
The Northumberland coast is an important location for many species of birds. Offshore islands, cliffs, estuaries and duneland provide nesting habitat for a range of migratory and resident species some of which are internationally, nationally or regionally important or their populations are at extremities of the range.
During migration estuarine mudflats, rocky outcrops and the open shore provide a vital feeding resource and shelter for a range of wading birds. Also a number of species of waders and wildfowl, some of whose Northumberland populations have been recognised as nationally or internationally important, overwinter in numbers in those same food rich areas, whilst offshore significant numbers of seaduck, divers and grebes also spend the winter.
The Northumberland coast has a range of ornithological related designations for example;
- Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve/SPA/Ramsar/SSSI,
- Farne Islands National Nature Reserve/SSSI,
- Northumberland Shore Special Protection Area/Ramsar/SSSI,
- Coquet Island Special Protection Area/SSSI.
Internationally important numbers of several species are found along the Northumberland coast:
- Roseate Tern (UK largest colony)
- Eider Duck
- Tern and auk breeding colonies
- Turnstone and purple sandpiper shore birds
- Wintering wildfowl such as Brent Goose, wigeon, teal, pintail and grey plover
- Sanderling and ringed plover
