For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

A

1.2 Site code

IE0004097

1.3 Site name

River Suck Callows SPA

1.4 First Compilation date

2004-05

1.5 Update date

2020-10

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Address:
Email:	datadelivery@chg.gov.ie

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site classified as SPA:	1996-10
National legal reference of SPA designation	No information provided

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-8.233337
Latitude:	53.432242

2.2 Area [ha]

3182.0271

2.3 Marine area [%]

0.0000

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
IE01	Border, Midland and Western

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Atlantic

(0.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

No habitat types are reported for the site

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A054	Anas acuta			w	5	5	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A052	Anas crecca			w	325	325	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A050	Anas penelope			w	1203	1203	i		G	C	B	C	B
B	A395	Anser albifrons flavirostris			w	386	386	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A038	Cygnus cygnus			w	124	124	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A179	Larus ridibundus			w	240	240	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A160	Numenius arquata			w	67	67	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			w	3640	3640	i		G	C	B	C	B

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
B		Cygnus olor			90	90	i						X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N06	20.00
N07	10.00
N10	30.00
N14	40.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

The River Suck is the largest tributary of the River Shannon. The site follows the river from Castlecoote, near Fuerty to its confluence with the River Shannon, a distance of approximately 70 km of river course. The main habitat is grassland, improved to varying extents, that is seasonally flooded. The less improved areas are species-rich. The grassland is used mainly for pasture but some is used for silage or occasionally hay-making. The river channel is fringed in places by swamp and marsh vegetation. The site adjoins several raised bogs and cutover bogs and there are turloughs in the vicinity.

4.2 Quality and importance

The River Suck Callows is an important site for wintering waterfowl, with an internationally important population of Anser albifrons flavirostris centred within the site. This is one of the largest flocks in the country outside of the Wexford Slobs. Despite poor survey data for recent years, it is known that at least three species have populations of national importance: Cygnus cygnus, Anas penelope and Vanellus vanellus. Cygnus columbarius bewickii formerly occurred in significant numbers but has abandoned the site, in line with a marked contraction of range at a national level. Crex crex formerly bred but not since the early 1990s. This site provides one of the few remaining examples in the country of a large river system of which parts still flood in a fairly natural way.

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Casey, C. (1998). Distribution and conservation of Corncrake in Ireland, 1993-1998. Irish Birds 6: 159-176. Colhoun, K. (2001). I-WeBS Report 1998-99. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Fox, A.D., Norriss, D.W., Stroud, D.A. and Wilson, H.J. (1994). Greenland White-fronted Geese in Ireland and Britain 1982/83 - 1993/94. Greenland White-fronted Goose Study research report no. 8. Greenland White-fronted Goose Study, Wales and National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin. Heery, S. (1993). The Shannon Floodlands - a Natural History of the River Shannon Callows. Tir Eolas, Kinvara. Hunt, J., Derwin, J., Coveney, J. and Newton, S. (2000). Republic of Ireland. Pp. 365-416 in Heath, M.F. and Evans, M.I. (eds). Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for Conservation 1: Northern Europe. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8). Irish Wetland Birds Survey (I-WeBS) Database, 1994/95-2000/01. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Merne, O.J. (1989). Important bird areas in the Republic of Ireland. In: Grimmett, R.F.A. and Jones, T.A. (eds). Important Bird Areas in Europe. ICBP Technical Publication No. 9. Cambridge. Ruttledge, R.F. and Ogilvie, M.A. (1979). The past and current status of the Greenland White-fronted Goose in Ireland and Britain. Irish Birds 1: 293-363. Sheppard, R. (1993). Ireland's Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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5.1 Designation types at national and regional level (optional):

Code	Cover [%]
IE05	10.00

5.2 Relation of the described site with other sites (optional):

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
IE05	Muckanagh/Cloonlaughnan Wildfowl Sanctuary	+	10.00

5.3 Site designation (optional)

No information provided

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

No information provided

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)

Yes X No

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