SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Broadland
Broadland is a low-lying wetland complex straddling the
boundaries between east Norfolk and northern Suffolk in eastern
England. The Broads are a series of flooded medieval peat cuttings.
They lie within the floodplains of five principal river systems,
known as Broadland. The area includes the river valley systems of
the Bure, Yare and Waveney and their major tributaries. The
distinctive open landscape comprises a complex and interlinked
mosaic of wetland habitats including open water, reedbeds, carr
woodland, grazing marsh and fen meadow, forming one of the finest
marshland complexes in the UK. The differing types of management of
the vegetation for reed, sedge and marsh hay, coupled with
variations in hydrology and substrate, support an extremely diverse
range of plant communities. The area is of international importance
for a variety of wintering and breeding raptors and waterbirds
associated with extensive lowland marshes. The estuary at the mouth
of Broadland is Breydon Water SPA, and the two sites adjoin each
other at Halvergate Marshes. Breeding and wintering raptors, and
wintering waterbirds spend time on feeding areas outside the SPA
boundary.
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:
During the breeding season;
Bittern Botaurus stellaris, 3 individuals
representing up to 15.0% of the breeding population in Great
Britain (Count as at 1998)
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, 21 pairs
representing up to 13.1% of the breeding population in Great
Britain (Count as at 1995)
Over winter;
Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii, 320
individuals representing up to 4.6% of the wintering population in
Great Britain (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Bittern Botaurus stellaris, 6 individuals
representing up to 6.0% of the wintering population in Great
Britain
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, 22 individuals
representing up to 2.9% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year peak mean 1987/8-1991/2)
Ruff Philomachus pugnax, 96 individuals representing
up to 13.7% of the wintering population in Great Britain (5 yr peak
mean 87/8-91/2)
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, 133 individuals
representing up to 2.4% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 yr peak mean 93/4-97/8)
This site also qualifies under Article 4.2 of
the Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following migratory species:
Over winter;
Gadwall Anas strepera, 605 individuals representing
up to 2.0% of the wintering Northwestern Europe population (RSPB:
Count 99/00)
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus, 3,290
individuals representing up to 1.5% of the wintering Eastern
Greenland/Iceland/UK population (5 yr peak mean 94/5-98/9)
Shoveler Anas clypeata, 401 individuals representing
up to 1.0% of the wintering Northwestern/Central Europe population
(RSPB: Count 99/00)
Assemblage qualification: A wetland of international
importance.
The area qualifies under Article 4.2 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by regularly supporting at least 20,000
waterfowl
Over winter, the area regularly supports 22,603 individual
waterfowl (RSPB, Count 99/00) including: Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo, Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus
bewickii, Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, Ruff
Philomachus pugnax, Pink-footed Goose Anser
brachyrhynchus, Gadwall Anas strepera, Bittern
Botaurus stellaris, Great Crested Grebe Podiceps
cristatus, Coot Fulica atra, Bean Goose Anser
fabalis, White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
albifrons, Wigeon Anas penelope, Teal Anas
crecca, Pochard Aythya ferina, Tufted Duck Aythya
fuligula, Shoveler Anas clypeata.
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.