Data Zone
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 IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus | LC | breeding (1967) | 37,000 mature individuals | A4i |
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 status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2012 | favourable | low | very low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | poor | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 52,000 / 52,000 (breeding pairs) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| State (condition of the key species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Marine Neritic | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | favourable |
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Biological resource use | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | no deterioration (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Pollution | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no deterioration (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | most of population/area (50–90%) | no deterioration (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Little/none of site covered (<10%) | No management planning has taken place | Very little or no conservation action taking place | very low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Bikar Atoll | Mo (Traditional No - Take Area) (Ia) | <1 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 100 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bikar Atoll Marine (Marshall Islands). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bikar-atoll-marine-iba-marshall-islands on 14/01/2025.