Area 'important' for winter birds

Berwick's swans are one of several birds visiting the estuary in winter

The Ribble Estuary has been named as a site of international importance for water birds in winter in a new report.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) report said the Lancashire estuary was a crucial home for 14 species of birds.

It is also the most important site in the UK for the wigeon, a type of duck whose population has fallen by one-fifth nationally.

The Mersey and Dee estuaries were also recognised in the report.

The Dee Estuary holds the largest UK concentrations of pintail - a type of duck - and the redshank, a wading bird which across the UK has reached its lowest population level for 20 years.

'Power to protect'

The Mersey Estuary holds the largest concentrations for shelduck, and the dunlin - a type of wading bird - whose population has reached its lowest level across the UK since 1970.

Morecambe Bay was also recognised as being the most important UK site for curlew, the UK's largest wading bird, which is edging towards global extinction.

The Ribble Estuary is an important place for wintering birds such as whooper and Bewick's swans, pink-footed geese, wigeons, knots, dunlins, sanderlings, bar-tailed and black-tailed godwits.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's conservation director, said: "This report shows that our estuaries and wetlands are wonderful places for wildlife and they deserve to remain so.

"The estuaries in the North West are vital staging posts for international travellers.

"Although climate change and development threaten these wonderful sites, the RSPB will continue to do everything in its power to protect them."

Other sites named as being internationally important for wildlife were The Wash, the Humber and the Thames.

The report has been published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO); Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT); Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB); and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).