SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Switha
Switha is a small, uninhabited, low-lying grassy island at the
southern end of the Orkney archipelago in northern Scotland. It
lies 2 km east of South Walls (Hoy) and 2 km south of the island of
Flotta. Switha has a rocky coastline with cliffs along the north,
east and west shores, and is almost totally covered by maritime
grassland, with smaller areas of heath and bog. Switha is of
importance as a winter roosting site for Greenland Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies under Article 4.1 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following species listed on Annex I of the
Directive:
Over winter;
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis, 1,000 individuals
representing at least 3.7% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (winter peak mean)
Note:
Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.
Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of
their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also
provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other
times of the year.