Kirkibost
Scottish Gaelic nameEilean Chirceaboist
Towards Kirkibost Island Looking out across the sea towards the sand dunes at the southern end of Kirkibost Island
Towards Kirkibost Island Looking out across the sea towards the sand dunes at the southern end of Kirkibost Island
Location
Kirkibost is located in Outer Hebrides
Kirkibost
Kirkibost
Kirkibost shown within the Outer Hebrides
OS grid referenceNF758640
Coordinates57°34′N 7°25′W / 57.56°N 7.42°W / 57.56; -7.42
Physical geography
Island groupUists and Barra
Area205
Area rank105= [1]
Highest elevation7 m
Administration
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Council areaOuter Hebrides
Demographics
Population0
Lymphad
References[2][3][4]

Kirkibost (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Chirceaboist) is a low-lying island west of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.[5]

Geography

Kirkibost, along with neighbouring Baleshare, is covered by a machair system of coastal plains covered with shell sand, part covered by grass, with some sand dunes, fens and peat. Together with Baleshare, it forms part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[6] The small islands of Eilean Mòr, Bior-eilean and Sròmaigh lie between Kirkibost and North Uist.[4]

Wildlife

The island is important for corncrakes, various wading birds and overwintering wildfowl.[6]

Economy

Kirkibost has been cultivated in the past, but is now used only for seasonal cattle grazing.[6]

References

  1. ^ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  2. ^ NRS1C
  3. ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
  4. ^ a b Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
  5. ^ Gittings, Bruce; Munro, David. "Kirkibost". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Scottish Natural Heritage (2011). "SSSI Management Statement: Baleshare & Kirkibost SSSI". Retrieved 10 December 2020.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kirkibost Island.

57°33′30″N 7°25′15″W / 57.55833°N 7.42083°W / 57.55833; -7.42083


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