Baker Island


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2012 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:
Species Red List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel LC breeding (1973–2007) 16,200 birds A4ii
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra LC breeding (1973–2007) 3,134 birds A4ii
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus LC breeding (1973–2007) 1,600,000 birds A4i
A4iii Species group - seabirds n/a breeding (1973–2007) 21,395 birds A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a breeding (1973–2007) 1,605,664 birds A4iii

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2012. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2012 good medium high
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes population medium

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Actual vs Reference (units) % remaining Result
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel 16,200 / 16,200 (birds) 100 not assessed
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra 4,500 / 3,134 (birds) 100 good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds 1,605,664 / 1,605,664 (birds) 100 not assessed

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Climate change and severe weather likely in long term (>4 years) whole of popul­ation/area (>90%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity high

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
1974 Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge (Ia) 100
2009 Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (V) 100


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Baker Island (United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/baker-island-iba-united-states-minor-outlying-islands-(to-usa) on 25/12/2024.