• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (baseline)
This Marine IBA is identified using both tracking data and seaward extensions around breeding colonies. It falls within the Australia Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the Indian Ocean, Eastern FAO ocean region. The site covers an area of 19887 km2 and is 315 km away from the closet coastline. The depth ranges from 0 to 6038 m, with a mean annual wind speed of 1.83 m/s, mean annual sea surface temperature falls between 27.18 and 27.44 °C and mean annual chlorophyll-a concentrations found to range between 0.13 and 0.2 mg/m3.

Key biodiversity
9 species trigger IBA criteria at this Marine IBA. BirdLife analyses of tracking data estimates that 270-900 individuals of Christmas Island Frigatebird (CR) from Christmas Island are present at the site during the Chick-rearing (Apr-Jun) life-history stage. 338-1675 individuals of Abbott's Booby (EN) from Christmas Island are present at the site during the Chick-rearing (Jul-Oct) life-history stage. Seaward extensions around breeding colony; Christmas Island include key near-colony areas for breeding populations of Christmas Island Frigatebird (CR) 2200-3000 individuals, Greater Frigatebird (LC) 6500-6500 individuals, Abbott's Booby (EN) 300-3400 individuals, White-tailed Tropicbird (LC) 12000-24000 individuals, Red-tailed Tropicbird (LC) 2800-2800 individuals, Brown Booby (LC) 5000-8000 individuals and Red-footed Booby (LC) 2500-21250 individuals.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Christmas Island - Marine. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/30502 on 28/05/2023.