Data Zone
Country/territory: Antarctica
IBA criteria met: A4iii (2015)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 195 hectares (1.95 km2)
Site description (2015 baseline)
Kirton Island and Macklin Island are part of the Robinson Island group, and are situated amongst a number of small largely ice free islands ~6 km west of Cape Daly, Mawson Coast, Mac.Robertson Land. Kirton Island is ~0.6 km long and up to 0.3 km wide and lies ~200 metres north of the Mawson Coast, while Macklin Island lies ~ 2 km further north and is ~0.5 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 Kirton Island, Macklin Island, associated smaller islands and the intervening marine area.
The nearest permanent station is Mawson (AUS) ~35 km to the west in Holme Bay, on the Mawson Coast.
Key biodiversity
Approximately 12 955 breeding pairs (95% CI 7737, 21 308) of Adélie Penguin were present at Kirton Island and Macklin Island in December 2006 as estimated from satellite imagery (Lynch & LaRue 2014). Southwell et al. (2014) estimated approximately 48 500 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin present within the Robinson Island group as a whole in a survey conducted from 2-4 December 2006.
No other birds are known to breed on the islands.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kirton Island / Macklin Island (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kirton-island--macklin-island-iba-antarctica on 26/12/2024.