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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris	LC	non-breeding (2003–2004)	112–362 birds	A4i
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis	NT	non-breeding (2003–2004)	822–7,611 birds	A4i
Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes	LC	non-breeding (2003–2004)	429–2,634 birds	A4i
Fairy Tern Sternula nereis	VU	non-breeding (2003–2004)	41–1,060 birds	A1, A4i
Spinifexbird Poodytes carteri	LC	resident (1978–2004)	17,800–24,600 birds	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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	The conservation measures needed for the site are being compre­hensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1908	Barrow Island	Nature Reserve (Ia)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	95	Hummock grasslands
Marine Intertidal	5

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	95
urban/industrial/transport	5

Barrow Island Nature Reserve is Class A Reserve 11648 for "Conservation of Flora and Fauna" vested in the Conservation Commission of Western Australia and managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation. A petroleum lease, owned by Chevron Australia, covers the whole island.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Barrow Island (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/barrow-island-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.