These volcanic, uninhabited, subantarctic islands (c.21 km², rising to 400 m) are c.850 km south-east of the South Island of New Zealand (EBA 207), and are managed as a reserve. The predominant vegetation in coastal areas is tussock grassland with scrub, ferns and bogs inland (Clark and Dingwall 1985, Sanson and Dingwall 1995). The Antipodes Islands are treated as a Secondary Area because Antipodes Parakeet Cyanoramphus unicolor is endemic to the group; it nests among tall dense tussocks and sedges and, despite having a population estimated at 2,000-3,000 birds, is classified as threatened (Vulnerable) because of its tiny range and the possibility of accidental introductions of alien species. Another restricted-range species, New Zealand Snipe Coenocorypha aucklandica, has a race, meinertzhagenae, which is known only from these islands. Antipodean Albatross Diomedea exulans antipodensis, which breeds only on Antipodes and Campbell Islands, is treated as a full species by Robertson and Nunn (in press).

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Endemic Bird Area factsheet: Antipodes Islands. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/eba/factsheet/432 on 23/11/2024.