Data Zone
Country/territory: Antarctica
IBA Justification: A4iii (2015)
Area: 17 hectares (0.17 km2)
Site description (2015 baseline)
Gibbney Island lies in western Holme Bay, ~4 km north of the coast at Forbes Glacier, Mac.Robertson Land. The rocky island is ice free in summer, relatively flat, with a line of low cliffs along its western coast, and is ~0.6 km long and up to 0.4 km wide.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present, and comprises all of Gibbney Island and adjacent islets.
The nearest permanent station is Mawson (AUS) ~25 km to the southeast in Holme Bay, Mawson Coast.
Key biodiversity
Approximately 12 246 breeding pairs (95% CI 7287, 20 187) of Adélie Penguins were present on Gibbney Island as estimated from February 2011 satellite imagery (Lynch & LaRue 2014). Breeding is mostly concentrated on the western side of the island.
No other birds are known to breed on the island.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gibbney Island (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gibbney-island-iba-antarctica on 14/01/2025.