Kiritimati (Christmas Island) Marine


IBA Justification

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

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
For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

IBA Protection

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

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Marine Neritic -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.


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.