The site was identified as important in 2012 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):Species | Current IUCN Red List Category | Season | Year(s) | Population estimate at site | IBA criteria met |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda | LC | breeding | 2007 | 820-1,100 breeding pairs | A4ii |
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa | EN | breeding | 2007 | 200-500 breeding pairs | A1, A4ii |
Phoenix Petrel Pterodroma alba | VU | breeding | 2007 | 2,300-3,800 breeding pairs | A1, A4ii |
Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis | LC | breeding | 2007 | 4,000-7,000 breeding pairs | A4ii |
Tropical Shearwater Puffinus bailloni | LC | breeding | 2007 | 3,100-4,100 breeding pairs | A4ii |
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus | LC | breeding | 2007 | 15,000-31,000 breeding pairs | A4i |
Black Noddy Anous minutus | LC | breeding | 2007 | 100,000 breeding pairs | A4i |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2012).
IBA conservation assessment | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
2012 | favourable | medium | negligible |
Was the whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
yes | habitat | poor |
State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Habitat | Habitat detail | Reference area (ha) | Actual area (ha) | Habitat quantity (% remaining) | Habitat quality (carrying capacity) | Result |
Sea | 0 | 0 | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
Biological resource use | fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: large scale | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
Climate change and severe weather | habitat shifting and alteration | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | whole area/population (>90%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
Pollution | excess energy - light pollution | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
Pollution | industrial & military effluents - oil spills | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Protected-area designation | Management planning | Other conservation action | Result |
Little/none of site covered (<10%) | No management planning has taken place | Very little or no conservation action taking place | negligible |
Protected area (PA) | PA designation | PA area (ha) | Relationship of PA with IBA | Overlap of PA with IBA (ha) |
---|---|---|---|---|
North-west Point Closed Area (Kiritimati) | Closed Area | 13 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
Ngaontetaake Islet Closed Area (Kiritimati) | Closed Area | 26 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
Motu Upua Closed Area | Closed Area | 19 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
Motu Tabu Islet Closed Area (Kiritimati) | Closed Area | 4 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
Kiritimati Atoll (Christmas Island) | Multi/Multiple Use Conservation Area | 52,370 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
Cook Islet Closed Area (Kiritimati WS) | Bird Reserve | 2,200 | protected area overlaps with site | 0 |
Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
---|---|---|
Marine Neritic | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kiritimati (Christmas Island) Marine. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kiritimati-(christmas-island)-marine-iba-kiribati on 26/09/2023.