NZ001
Meyer & Herald Islands


Country/territory: New Zealand

IBA criteria met: A4i, A4ii, A4iii (2014)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 52 ha

Forest and Bird

Key biodiversity

IBA Trigger species: Kermadec (White-faced) Storm Petrel*, Kermadec Petrel, Red-tailed Tropicbird, Grey Noddy (Grey Ternlet), Red-fronted Parakeet.

* Recognised as full species in New Zealand (NZ checklist 2010).

Seabirds crowd the Meyer Islands and Herald Islands, making the most of all suitable space and habitat. Besides the four trigger species, the following are confirmed breeding or resident on the islands: Black-winged Petrel, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Kermadec Little Shearwater, Masked (Tasman) Booby, Sooty Tern, Black Noddy, Spot-less Crake, Welcome Swallow, NZ Kingfisher, Blackbird, Starling.

Other species recorded: Australasian Harrier, Turnstone, Grey Plover, Asiatic Whimbrel, Wandering Tattler. Great Frigatebirds have become a regular sight over the Meyer and Her-ald Islands (also nearby Raoul Island).


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Meyer & Herald Islands. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/meyer-&-herald-islands-iba-new-zealand on 19/03/2024.