Killough Bay RAMSAR

Killough Bay site is situated 8km south-west of Downpatrick, along the County Down coast in the south-east of Northern Ireland. It is a small harbour with tidal mudflats and shingle banks which includes the intertidal areas and adjoining areas of notable habitat - mudflats, sand-dominated beaches, gravel and cobble units and rocky shore.

The boundary of the Ramsar site includes Killough Harbour and Coney Island Bay. The site qualifies under Criterion 6 because it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird in any season.

The principal interest is the wintering population of light-bellied Brent goose, which feeds on the rich mats of the green alga, Enteromorpha spp. present especially in Killough Harbour. The birds find refuge here during late winter and spring, once the main wintering flock from Strangford Lough disperses due to lack of food.

At Coney Island Bay, the moderately exposed sediment shore is an important example of its type. The rest of the bay is generally sheltered and rocky with rockpools and boulders, forming a species-rich area with a diverse range of seaweeds, such as toothed and knotted wrack and invertebrates, including the notable polychaete worm Sabellaria alveolata at its northern limit.

On the rocks, a sparse covering of sea campion, thrift and sea plantain gives way to a more species-rich maritime grassland community, typified by sea campion, wild carrot, thrift and red fescue.